Karo Regency Asks Tourists to Refuse Levies at Doulu Hot Springs

The Government of Karo Regency, North Sumatra, has temporarily halted all retribution collections at the Semangat Gunung-Doulu Hot Springs tourist area. The public and tourists have even been asked to refuse and report any parties still charging entrance fees to the site, also known as Lau Sidebuk-Debuk. This directive was conveyed through the installation of announcement banners around the Semangat Gunung-Doulu Hot Springs Ecotourism area. The notice states that no retribution collection is permitted from 4 June 2026 until further notice from the Karo Regency Government. Head of the Culture, Youth, Sports and Tourism Office of Karo Regency, Juni Antomi Kemit, said the policy aims to provide certainty to the community while maintaining order in the tourist area, which had been marred by a dispute over retribution management. “The public and tourists are also asked to refuse and report to the Culture, Youth, Sports and Tourism Office officers if they find any party collecting retribution or levies in any form,” he said on Saturday (13/6). According to him, the temporary suspension of retribution collection is intended to create a more conducive situation, maintain visitor safety and comfort, and give the regency government space to formulate a comprehensive solution in accordance with legal provisions. The administration also wants to ensure that any future policies have a clear legal basis and are accepted by all interested parties. Juni also apologised to the public and tourists for the dispute that had caused discomfort in the tourist area. “We apologise to all members of the public and tourists visiting the Semangat Gunung Doulu hot springs ecotourism area for the inconvenience,” he said. The dispute over the management of the Doulu Hot Springs retribution came to a head after hundreds of residents from Doulu and Semangat Gunung villages held a peaceful demonstration in front of the Karo Regent’s Office on 4 June 2026. The action, led by the Doulu-Semangat Gunung Community Forum, protested the change in the retribution management mandate, which they felt was carried out without community consultation. Residents also highlighted the revocation of the locally-generated revenue (PAD) payment that was previously made through the old mechanism, even though the previous mandate decree was considered still valid. In a meeting with the regency government, the community put forward several demands, including the revocation of the new management mandate, the handover of management to the outcome of a deliberation between the two villages, and an evaluation of the Tourism Office’s policies. Responding to these demands, the Karo Regency Government stated it would not issue a management mandate decree to any party before reaching a mutual agreement with the community. The regency government also revoked both the new and old management mandates and promised further deliberation with residents. Deputy Regent of Karo, Komando Tarigan, stressed that every policy related to resource management in his region must be born through deliberation. The suspension of the retribution is also a response to community reports that collection practices were still ongoing in the field despite the temporary halt agreement. This situation had sparked fears of friction between residents and parties suspected of still conducting levies. The Karo Regency Government hopes that the installation of banners and public outreach will end the dispute and restore a sense of safety and comfort for tourists visiting the Doulu hot springs area.