Expert deems it necessary to develop alternative destinations in Labuan Bajo

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Tourism Expert Council from BA Center, Taufan Rahmadi, believes the government needs to consider ways to develop alternative destinations in Labuan Bajo, NTT, to prevent excess tourist capacity (overtourism).

“We are not just talking about opening a new destination location, but my concern is how every tourism policy can build a complete tourism ecosystem,” Taufan said when contacted by ANTARA in Jakarta on Thursday.

Taufan stated that developing alternative destinations is one effort to reduce excess visits, especially at Komodo National Park, which is one of the destinations whose preservation must be prioritised.

Secondly, curation of tourism products based on local wisdom is needed. All products must be packaged with a strong narrative, so they can become a strength for the tourism products in the area.

“We know that Labuan Bajo and Flores have strengths in culture, tourism villages, landscapes, land, and special interest tourism such as trekking, geowisata, and marine tourism, which is not just Komodo,” Taufan said.

“And this can impact local economic movement, which I think is very significant. So we must start seeing that there are other opportunities. Labuan Bajo should not rely on just one icon, but develop into a layered destination with various attractions there,” he added.

Meanwhile, regarding Komodo National Park, Taufan believes the key to avoiding visitor accumulation is even distribution of tourists without simply limiting arrivals.

Taufan explained that when choices are expanded and curated well, tourist distribution will become more even.

Then, the third is the implementation of adaptive pricing strategies. Tariffs that differ based on visit time, zones, or exclusivity can be instruments to regulate demand without rigid limitations.

On the other hand, policies in the tourism sector, according to him, must be based on success in managing existing stakeholders and can be present to process a region’s destination potential intelligently, fairly, and sustainably.

“In essence, tourism in Labuan Bajo, especially related to Komodo, must move from a quantity approach to quality. Protecting the ecosystem is a necessity, but ensuring the economic sustainability of the community is an inseparable part,” he said.