Over 10,000 Tourists Cancel Trip to Labuan Bajo, Travel Association Says

TheIndonesia.id - More than 10,000 domestic and international tourists have canceled their planned trips to Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara province after Indonesian government decided to raise ticket price to Komodo and Padar Islands, the Association of Indonesian Travel Agents (ASTINDO) reported.

Labuan Bajo ASTINDO chairman Ignasius Suradin said on Monday, August 1, that based on current estimation, over 10,000 tourists from Indonesia and abroad have decided to cancel their visits to Labuan Bajo.

“The number is uncertain, but it is estimated at around [10,000]. [The canceled trips] were planned for the next three months, with the most trips planned in August,” Suradin said, as reported by Antara.

Among tourism industry players hit hard by the current situation is a five-star hotel in Labuan Bajo that experienced canceled bookings of 600 of their rooms as tourists changed their plans.

Cancelation also happened to many travel agents, boats, and other hotels after news about increasing ticket price to Komodo and Padar Islands started circulating.

Suradin also revealed that potential loss from the canceled trips reaches up to Rp 1 trillion (US$69.5 million).

“Besides the rising ticket price itself, the cancelation was also triggered by reactions from the public against the new regulation,” he said.

The change in ticket price to Komodo and Padar Islands is predicted to inevitably impact all tourist destinations in Labuan Bajo and Flores Island.

“It is possible that Labuan Bajo is ‘punished’ by potential tourists, and they will leave Labuan Bajo out of their list of places to visit,” Suradin warned.

The Indonesian authorities previously decided to increase the price of entrance ticket to Komodo and Padar Islands from Rp 150,000 (US$10.5) to Rp 3.75 million.

It was claimed the plan was part of the conservation effort to protect the area’s biodiversity by limiting the number of visitors.

West Manggarai regent Edistasius Endi said he supported the idea of increasing ticket price to Komodo Island because it aligns with the effort to protect the Komodo Island from overtourism.

“I agree with [raising ticket price to] Komodo Island. I see it as an effort to limit the number of tourists, and the objective is to protect komodo ecosystem in the island, so it becomes more sustainable,” Endi said on July 3.

Industry players are opposed to the idea, and since last week, a number of protests have been held by individuals and organizations from the local tourism industry.