The repeated cases involving travel service providers in Labuan Bajo,\nWest Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, are becoming a serious\nconcern. From a report by six Italian tourists against the owner of\nTravel Labuan Bajo Top, Itok Aman, to cases of fraudulent travel\nagencies and trip scalpers that have left tourists stranded, these\nissues are considered capable of undermining confidence in Labuan Bajo\nas an international tourist destination.<\/p>\n
Six Italian tourists reported the owner of Travel Labuan Bajo Top,\nItok Aman, to the West Manggarai Police after claiming they suffered\nlosses in a tour package to Komodo National Park. They had previously\ncancelled their trip with Sabbar Cruise and then chartered another boat\nto continue their journey to Komodo National Park. After completing the\ntrip on Wednesday evening (12\/8), the six tourists went to the West\nManggarai Police to file a complaint.<\/p>\n
This case has again highlighted the importance of supervision over\ntourism travel businesses in Labuan Bajo, especially since similar\nproblems have occurred before.<\/p>\n
Head of the West Manggarai Regency Tourism Office, Petrus Rasyid,\nexpressed regret over the recurrence of problems involving tourists. \u201cWe\ndeeply regret that this incident has happened again in Labuan Bajo, amid\nall our collective efforts to maintain the tourism image of Labuan Bajo\nthrough providing optimal tourism services to guests,\u201d said Petrus on\nThursday (13\/8).<\/p>\n
According to him, service to tourists must be a shared concern\nbecause every problem experienced by tourists can affect the\ndestination\u2019s image. \u201cWe strongly support firm action to deal with the\nindividuals responsible for this incident so that it does not happen\nagain in the future,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n
Petrus said the regional government will also strengthen\ncollaboration with parties that have the authority to supervise tour\noperators and travel agents. \u201cWe will continue to collaborate and\nsynergise with relevant parties who have authority in supervising tour\noperators and travel agents, to ensure they have complied with\napplicable regulations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In addition to strengthening supervision, the regional government\nwill identify travel agencies known to have committed fraud against\ntourists. \u201cFurthermore, we will also identify travel agencies that have\ncommitted fraud so that they are not included in the Gendang Mabar\napplication, which will have access to ticket purchases on the mainland\nand at Komodo National Park,\u201d said Petrus.<\/p>\n
The regional government, together with law enforcement officials and\nall tourism stakeholders, is considered to need to strengthen\nsupervision of travel service providers. Business legality, clarity of\ntour packages, certainty of boats and services, as well as the match\nbetween the services offered and those received by tourists are\nimportant aspects in maintaining trust.<\/p>\n
Enforcement action against perpetrators proven to have harmed\ntourists is also expected not only to provide legal certainty but also\nto serve as a deterrent so that similar practices do not continue to\nrecur.<\/p>\n
For Labuan Bajo, this issue is important because tourists do not only\nassess the destination based on the beauty of Komodo National Park, but\nalso on the entire travel experience they receive from booking a tour\npackage until returning to their home country.<\/p>\n
Labuan Bajo tourism observer Florianus Suryono said the series of\ncases should be a momentum to improve the governance of tourism travel\nservices in Labuan Bajo. \u201cThe recent series of cases serves as a\nreminder of the importance of supervising tourism travel service\nproviders in Labuan Bajo. Do not let problems caused by a handful of\nbusiness operators affect the image of the entire tourism industry,\u201d\nsaid Florianus.<\/p>\n
He assessed that business legality must be a primary concern so that\ntourists receive certainty when using travel or tour operator services.\n\u201cBusiness legality is important. Tourists must have certainty that they\nare transacting with a legitimate business operator, not with a party\nthat lacks the capacity or authority to provide tourism services,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Florianus also emphasised the importance of transaction transparency\nand clarity of tour packages. \u201cTourists must clearly know what they are\nbuying, what services they will receive, which boat will be used, what\nthe travel schedule is like, and what facilities are promised. There\nmust be no discrepancy between the package offered and the services\nreceived by tourists,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to Florianus, the practice of unofficial travel agents or\ntrip scalpers also needs serious attention. \u201cTourists who come to Labuan\nBajo, especially foreign tourists, certainly rely on information and\nservices from travel agents. When they have a bad experience, the impact\nis not only on that agent, but on the name of Labuan Bajo as a whole,\u201d\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He reminded that maintaining the destination\u2019s image is not enough\nwith promotion and natural beauty alone. \u201cThe beauty of Komodo National\nPark is indeed Labuan Bajo\u2019s main attraction, but tourists do not only\nbuy natural beauty. They also buy the travel experience, from booking a\npackage, receiving services, using a boat, to returning to their home\ncountry,\u201d said Florianus.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that experience is bad, then the destination\u2019s reputation is also\nat stake. Therefore, maintaining tourist trust is as important as\nmaintaining the destination itself,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/repeated-travel-agent-issues-threaten-labuan-bajos-tourism-reputation-1786611049", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }