Limiting Komodo Tourism, DPD RI Speaker Sultan: The Timing Is Inappropriate

13 April 2026 oleh admin

dpd.go.id - Speaker of the House of the Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI) Sultan Baktiar Najamudin also highlighted the Implementation of restrictions on visits to Komodo National Park (TN Komodo), which began on April 1, 2026.

According to him, the policy which is seen as maintaining the environmental carrying capacity of NTT's leading premium tourist spots, is not appropriate to be implemented amidst national economic challenges.

"We appreciate and respect the considerations of the West Manggarai Regency and NTT Provincial governments, which are concerned with the environmental carrying capacity and sustainability of Komodo. We must acknowledge that Komodo is a premium tourist destination that must be strictly protected," said the Sultan in his official statement on Monday (April 13).

However, the former chairman of HIPMI Bengkulu revealed that the government is currently making serious efforts to ensure that the tourism industry becomes one of the backbones of the national economy amidst the crisis.

"I believe that regional governments need to review policies that are detrimental to the tourism industry. The momentum of increasing foreign tourist visits to Indonesia this year should be welcomed by regions by implementing innovative tourist regulations, especially in premium tourist spots like Komodo National Park," he stressed.

Sultan stated that efforts to maintain the balance and support of the Komodo National Park environment can be achieved through various approaches. One of these is by increasing the number of additional tourist spots for tourists around the park.

"Furthermore, the problem of overtourism can be addressed by regulating the flow of visitors and imposing fines on unruly tourists. Therefore, the duration of tourist visits must be regulated to prevent overcrowding," he suggested.

The policy of restricting tourist access to Komodo National Park has reportedly sparked mixed reactions. The new regulation sets a quota of 1,000 tourists per day, a policy that was immediately met with opposition from local tourism stakeholders.