Don't Damage Labuan Bajo's Good Name, NTT's Tourism and Creative Economy Asks Police To Take Strict Action On Travel Agents Involved In Fraud

KUPANG - Head of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province Tourism and Creative Economy (Disparekraf), Zet Sony Libing, encourages strict action against unscrupulous tourist agents who deceive tourists who travel to Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency.

"Strict action is needed against fake tourist agents who deceive tourists because if they don't, it can damage the good name of tourism which is being actively developed in NTT, especially Labuan Bajo, a super premium tourist destination", he said in a statement received in Kupang, Wednesday.

He said his party noted that cases of fraud against tourists in Labuan Bajo had emerged since entering 2022, such as last January by an illegal travel agent Cakrawala Traveler from Bogor, West Java, by not paying the cost of tour boats when tourists rented boats.

The case of tourist fraud again occurred in early May 2022, which befell one family traveler from Jakarta by the Komodo Experience tour with a loss of around Rp. 46 million.

Sony Libing ensured that it paid serious attention to the case because it tarnished the good name of tourism in NTT by reporting fraudsters to the police.

"This legal process is important to provide a deterrent effect for the perpetrators as well as to remind other parties not to do the same thing", he said.

In addition, Disparekraf also carries out administrative actions by tracing the legality of tourism agents, so that if the agent is registered, the operating license will be revoked.

However, according to him, the practice of defrauding tourists is carried out by illegal or unregistered tourism agents.

His party, he continued, also continues to coordinate with tourism industry organizations such as Asita, Astindo, HPI, as well as the West Manggarai Tourism Office, Implementing Agency for the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority (BPOLBF), and the Resort Police to take firm action against illegal or illegal travel agents.

"Labuan Bajo tourism is currently being built and promoted massively, so it really must be maintained, because if it is tarnished, the impact could be on all tourist destinations in NTT", he said.