The law that would have required visitors to pay an entrance charge to visit Komodo Island, which is famous for being home to the enormous reptiles known as Komodo dragons, has been postponed by Indonesia. This action is being taken in response to a strike that was staged by tourist businesses.
The most current information indicates that beginning in January 2023, the yearly membership cost would be increased to 3.75 million rupiah, which is equivalent to $252. This information was divulged not too long ago by Gusti Hendriyani, who serves as the spokeswoman for the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. She went on to say that the delay is in accordance with the hopes of the general population.
The Minister of Tourism of Indonesia, Sandiaga Uno, said that the strike was called off after a meeting was arranged between representatives of the local administration and the demonstrators. According to reports, tourist workers and business owners in Labuan Bajo, which is the town on Flores island where the majority of travelers who go to Komodo reside, went on strike for a month when the government implemented the new price.
Prior to this change, the admission fee for domestic tourists was $5, while the fee for international visitors was $10. Because to the new price structure, purchasing only one ticket was not an option.
According to the reports, the government intends to restrict the number of tourists as part of their attempts to save the area. However, many who work in the tourism industry have argued that the new charge structure is hurting their bottom line and have demanded that the old pricing model be brought back into effect. They claim that the new pricing model has caused many potential customers to back out of their reservations.
The island of Komodo in Indonesia is a famous tourist destination because it is home to more than 5,000 unique gigantic lizards. In addition, Komodo Island is one of the top 10 travel destinations in the world, according to National Geographic.
According to reports, the government had originally intended to restrict access to Komodo Island in 2018, due to the fact that the island saw more than 10,000 visitors each month.
In addition, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reported that the consequences of climate change are becoming a greater danger to the island in the previous year.