ASITA NTT: Fraud case damages Labuan Bajo's tourism image
The Indonesian Travel Companies Association (ASITA) of East Nusa Tenggara has stated that a premium tour package fraud case is damaging the image of Labuan Bajo and reducing tourist confidence in the destination.
“This case damages the image of Labuan Bajo tourism and lowers the level of tourist confidence in visiting,” said ASITA NTT Chairman Oyan Kristian when contacted from Kupang on Friday.
According to him, tourists may become hesitant to make travel reservations to Labuan Bajo due to the emergence of a tour package fraud case involving an unlicensed agent.
Oyan said the government needs to ensure that only licensed travel agents operating in NTT can make reservations or purchase entry tickets to tourist destinations, including Komodo National Park.
“Those without permits should not be given access. So any tourist must use a local travel agent that holds a business licence,” he said.
Furthermore, he continued, the government needs to promptly strengthen integrated destination management, not only focusing on physical infrastructure development.
He also suggested that access to purchase Komodo National Park entry tickets through the SIORA application be granted to licensed travel agents holding business permits in NTT.
In addition to ASITA NTT members, he said, access could also be granted to members of other official tourism associations according to their business sector and applicable regulations.
Oyan assessed that such a policy needs to be followed by public education and promotion to tourists so that they understand the importance of using licensed tourism business operators when travelling in Labuan Bajo.
“This must be socialised, amplified and promoted by the local government, both at the regency and provincial levels,” he said.
He expressed hope that the government would take firm and consistent steps to crack down on illegal tourism business operators so that similar cases do not recur and tourist confidence in Labuan Bajo can be restored.
Previously, on Thursday (13/8), the Criminal Investigation Unit of the West Manggarai Police detained a suspect in a premium tour package fraud and embezzlement case, identified by the initials SO (33), a resident of Bekasi, West Java, who lives in the MTS Complex in Labuan Bajo.
The unlicensed travel agent is alleged to have absconded with Rp244.2 million belonging to LN (56), a tourism business operator from Canada.
The case also left 22 foreign tourists from China stranded upon arrival in Labuan Bajo because the boat promised by the suspect was never chartered.