Protests Result From Travel Agents Over The Price Of Rp3.75 Million, Komodo Airport In NTT Is Empty Of Activity

The atmosphere in front of the Komodo Labuan Bajo Airport Arrival Door, West Manggarai, NTT, Monday, August 1 (ANTARA)

WEST MANGGARAI - The atmosphere at the arrival gate of Komodo Labuan Bajo Airport, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), seemed deserted from the usual tourist pick-up activities carried out by travel agents.

Since 10:00 WITA at the arrival gate area --quoted from Antara--, Monday, August 1, there were no travel agents who usually parked the car in front of the arrival gate to pick up guests.

It was observed that the arrival gate was filled with several guests who came out of the arrival gate and were picked up by acquaintances/family private cars.

However, there were also foreign tourists from Spain who looked annoyed and angry because they were not picked up by travel agents. They also refused to be assisted by officers at the airport.

Due to the absence of a car belonging to a travel agent intended for tourists, two buses belonging to the West Manggarai Regency Government and the Ministry of Transportation were prepared to take guests.

It was also seen that security forces, both TNI and Polri, were on guard at every corner of the airport, both inside and outside the airport.

This situation is part of the protest action carried out by tourism actors in Labuan Bajo to stop tourism activities, the impact of the protests on the contribution fee of IDR 3.75 million per person per year on Komodo Island and Padar Island.

Those who are members of the Association of Tourism Actors and Individual tourism actors in Labuan Bajo have agreed to stop all types of tourism services in the National Park Islands and in all tourist destinations in West Manggarai from 1-31 August 2022.

As a result, there are no travel agents who carry out guest pick-up activities at Komodo Airport from this morning until this afternoon.