Staff strike as fee to see Komodos rises £195

HUNDREDS of Indonesian tourism workers have gone on strike after ticket prices to a Komodo dragon sanctuary increased almost 20-fold.

Visitors must now pay 3,750,000 rupiah (£206.40) to see the endangered animals, up from 200,000 rupiah (£11).

Workers say the increase will be “suicide” for the attraction and fear a decrease in visitors could cause their income to dry up.

“This has caused uncertainty,” said Leo Embo, a tour guide and member of one of 24 local workers’ associations on strike. “We decided to go on strike even when we’re suffering from a loss... this might as well be suicide.” The government raised the price to protect the animals from overexposure to humans.

Indonesia is home to 3,300 of the lizards, which grow up to 10ft in length. Their sharp teeth, venomous bite and dinosaur-like appearance attract busloads of tourists.

The islands in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province where they are found are a Unesco World Heritage Site and drew close to 222,000 visitors in 2019. But the area’s tourism was decimated by the pandemic, with visitors dropping to a quarter of that total. Locals worry the new price rise could be the final straw.

“We support Komodo conservation but please come up with a sensible number so we can protect Komodo dragons and so people whose livelihood depends on tourism can live,” said Servianus Setiawan, a tour operator.

Komodo Island is one of many destinations imposing a “tourist tax” to protect against over-tourism.

Venice is planning a £10 entry fee, which would make it the first city in the world to introduce one, while the central Asian kingdom of Bhutan increased its entry fee from £53 to £165 this year.

‘Please come up with a sensible number so we protect Komodo dragons and so people can live