Joko Widodo advocates for Labuan Bajo’s exclusivity

Labuan Bajo should remain a “super premium” tourist destination, President Joko Widodo said of the nearest town with access to the worldrenowned Komodo Island.

The fishing town, which is the capital in the West Manggarai regency in the East Nusa Tenggara province, should not be marketed as a destination for “middle-to-lower income tourists”, Joko said, according to KOMPAS.com.

“Labuan Bajo is super premium. I have warned (related agencies) to be careful. Don’t mix (the management of the) super premium (tourist destination) with the middle-lower ones,” he said.

To achieve this, Joko instructed Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama Kusubandio to apply a quota system for tourists visiting Labuan Bajo.

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat said the Komodo Island was a premium-class tourist destination and proposed to charge an entry fee of US$500 per tourist last year. This year, he proposed to further increase it to US$1,000 and was met with opposition.

Head of the East Nusa Tenggara Regional Office of the Finance Directorate General Lydia Kurniawati Christyana backed the governor, saying that Viktor’s statement was meant to attract foreign tourists, especially those in the high-income bracket.

The Labuan Bajo Tourism authority head Shana Fatina Sukarsono said the government had boosted development in the tourism sector by upgrading the port, airport and roads in the last few years.

“East Nusa Tenggara has a lot of tourism potential.”

The Komodo Island is famous for its monitor lizards, known as Komodo dragons, which can grow up to 3m.

Labuan Bajo is also famous for its Pink Beach.