JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The decision to steeply increase entrance fees to the Komodo National Park (TNK) in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province has been canceled, a top Tourism official said on Thursday, Dec. 15.
Previously, the locals who rely on tourism in the national park staged protests after the government raised admission fees from about 150,000 Indonesian rupiahs ($10) to 3.75 million Indonesian rupiahs ($240), which initially would take effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
"The plan has been canceled by the government. There would not be an increase for the Komodo National Park entrance fee," said Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno during the coordination meeting titled Inclusive and Sustainable in Jakarta.
However, the minister steered clear of furnishing further details regarding the revocation of the plan to increase the entrance fee to TNK.
Also read: Indonesian Tourism Workers Strike over Komodo Park Price Hike
Sandiaga said that the entrance fee for TNK is currently still referring to Government Regulation No. 12/2014 on types and tariffs for non-tax state revenues that apply to the Ministry of Forestry and Environment at about 150,000 Indonesian rupiahs.
A month earlier, the public was also surprised by plans to increase the entrance fee for Borobudur Temple by 750,000 Indonesian rupiahs ($48) for the citizens and $100 for foreign tourists to limit the number of tourists entering the temple to only 1,200 visitors per day. On account of the protests by several parties, the plan was finally canceled.
The government's earlier decision to increase the entrance fee aligned with conservation issues based on studies of TNK areas that have limited visitor capacity. There is a limit in place of as many as 200,000 visits to the TNK area.
In addition, Sandiaga observed the need to maintain the aspects of education, research, and sustainability to maintain the population of Komodo dragons in the area by limiting the number of visitors through an increase in the TNK entrance fee.
Source: State News Antara
