Even Though There Are Protests, The NTT Provincial Government Still Applies A New Entry Ticket To Komodo Rp.3.75 Million

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KUPANG - The Provincial Government of East Nusa Tenggara continues to impose an entrance ticket to Komodo and Padar islands of Rp.3.75 million even though there are parties who refuse the new tariffs which will take effect on August 1, 2022.

"The East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government really appreciates the aspirations of the people who reject the increase in entrance tickets of Rp.3.75 million to Komodo Island and Padar Island. We are reviewing all these aspirations but of course the application of new tariffs to Komodo will still be carried out on August 1 because it has gone through a study ripe," said Head of the NTT Tourism Office, Sony Zeth Libing in Kupang, as reported by ANTARA, Tuesday, July 19.

Sony Zeth Libing said this was related to the refusal by tourism business actors in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency to protest the increase in entry fees to Komodo Island.

According to Sony, the NTT Provincial Government has a big vision behind the imposition of new tariffs for entry to Komodo Island, namely to keep Komodo and its ecosystems preserved forever.

The provincial government does not want the new tariffs to be applied when the ecosystem on Komodo Island is already starting to be damaged.

"We have to anticipate early before a wider problem occurs in the Komodo habitat and its ecosystem," said Sony.

He emphasized that sustainable tourism must be carried out by maintaining Komodo as a tourism asset that is an attraction for tourists in a sustainable manner, so that conservation of the Komodo Island area must be carried out.

According to him, if the area is not maintained properly then one day the ecosystem and Komodo will be disturbed which will result in no attraction for tourists who come to the tourist area on the western tip of Flores Island.

"This is what the NTT Government considers to set the entrance fee to Komodo and Padar islands of Rp.3.75 million so that the ecosystem in the area is maintained properly," he said.