Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — The Komodo National Park Authority (BTNK) in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province is set to implement a visitor quota system to regulate tourism in the park. The move has gained support from local tourism stakeholders in Labuan Bajo, a popular gateway to the park.
“I appreciate BTNK for considering sustainability as a shared responsibility among all tourism actors in Labuan Bajo, Flores, Indonesia, and even globally,” said Aloysius Suhartim Karya, head of the Indonesian Tour Guides Association (HPI) in West Manggarai, during a public consultation in Labuan Bajo on Monday (October 6), as reported by Antara.
Aloysius emphasized that the park’s carrying capacity and ecological limits must be taken seriously to preserve the area’s biodiversity and ensure long-term sustainability.
“This must be our top priority as tourism operators. We don’t want our tourism industry to collapse in a few years because of overexploitation,” he said.
He noted that over the past decade, coral reefs and other ecosystems within the Komodo National Park (TNK) have suffered degradation. The new quota system, he said, aims to help restore these ecosystems.
Popular spots like Padar Island often exceed visitor capacity, he added. By enforcing a quota, BTNK can better manage tourist flow and avoid overcrowding at specific sites.
“We hope this system improves park management and enhances the quality and sustainability of nature-based tourism in Labuan Bajo,” Aloysius said.
He also urged BTNK to design a quota system that is fair and transparent, avoiding potential monopolies in visitor allocation.
“If not carefully prepared, it could lead to serious problems,” he warned.
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Meanwhile, Maria Rosdalima Panggur, BTNK’s Coordinator for Public Relations and Partnerships, said the park will use a new digital platform called SiOra to streamline visitor management.
The app will include online ticketing and permit features for tourism activities, while also serving as a database for local tourism operators to ensure fair quota distribution.
“Local stakeholders are concerned about fairness—how local businesses can be prioritized and how to prevent large travel agencies from booking most of the quotas. We’ll coordinate with app developers, the Port Authority (KSOP), and local government offices to ensure fair implementation,” Panggur said.
She explained that the quota policy will consider environmental, social, and economic aspects, with public outreach and testing planned between January and March 2025 before full implementation in April 2026.
“We plan to limit daily visits to 1,000 people per day across the park through the SiOra app, in line with the park’s 2018 carrying-capacity study and other related assessments,” she said.
(Raidi/Agung)
