Beach Managers in Bantul Complain of Low Visitors: Charged Retribution Fees, But No Government Assistance

Beach managers in Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), claim they have never received development funding for tourist attractions from local authorities. However, visitors are charged a retribution fee of Rp15,000 per person. This situation has led to stagnant tourism facilities, as no funds are available for developing beach attractions. “Our beach lacks funds for development because from the current retribution, we haven’t received any revenue sharing related to maintenance costs and tourist attractions,” said Bayu Sujaka, Chairman of the Goa Cemara Beach Tourist Village. When contacted by Kompas.com on Tuesday (24/3/2026), Bayu stated that the retribution fee collected from visitors should be returned for managing the tourist attractions. “But until now, we haven’t received any return from the revenue sharing of those retribution fees,” he added. Bayu is not surprised that the number of visitors to Goa Cemara Beach and other beaches in Bantul continues to decline, including during the current Eid holiday season. It is understandable, he said, that many tourists choose to holiday in Gunungkidul instead of visiting beaches in Bantul. “In Gunungkidul, the development is very rapid, whether from the government or third parties,” said Bayu. “Meanwhile, in Bantul, it’s just as it is, and as managers, we are really short on funds,” he continued. During the consultation, tourism managers in Bantul conveyed several proposals, including: 1. Adding separate ticket options for each tourist attraction, not bundled, at Rp5,000 per attraction. 2. Returning retribution funds in cash to destination managers to be used for adjusting work programmes. 3. Improving retribution posts, including placing them only at the main gate with orderly opening hours as an effort to create a positive representation of the destination.