Komodo National Park Authority Sets Daily Tourist Quota at 1,000 Visitors

Kupang (ANTARA) - The Komodo National Park Authority (BTNK) has established a new regulation regarding the quota for tourist visits to Komodo National Park (TNK) in West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province, setting it at 1,000 tourists per day. “This regulation has been in effect since 1 April 2026 and is already being implemented,” said Maria Rosdalima Panggur, Coordinator for Public Relations, Cooperation, and Licensing Services at the Komodo National Park Authority, when contacted from Kupang on Tuesday. Maria explained that the purpose of this new regulation is to reduce the significant pressure on the ecology within Komodo National Park. This is because the number of tourist visits to the area is high every year, raising concerns that it could exert pressure on the ecology, she stated. BTNK records show that the number of tourist visits to Komodo National Park in 2025 reached 429,509 visitors. The proportion of international tourists averaged 68 percent compared to domestic tourists. According to her, this number has exceeded the carrying capacity for tourism across the entire area, both on land and in the waters, which is 366,108 visitors per year, or based on a 2022 study, 378,870 visitors per year. This total value for visitors in line with the carrying capacity is the cumulative value of the tourism carrying capacity and capacity for the major islands and marine areas. The carrying capacity for Komodo Island in 2018 was 187,245 people per year, Rinca Island 44,165 people, Padar Island 17,885 people. Meanwhile, the carrying capacity and tourism capacity for the waters at 23 dive sites is 116,813 visitors per person. “The increase in visitor numbers provides a significant boost to the regional economy, but on the other hand, it exerts considerable pressure on the ecology,” she said. She added that high-intensity human activities can cause demographic changes and a decline in the vigilance response behaviour of Komodo dragons. In the marine areas, there has been degradation in coral reef health. Additionally, the high surge in visitors over a short period, without comprehensive destination management in terms of management and policy aspects, has led to overcrowding in the Komodo National Park area. BTNK stated that although a quota has been set, it predicts that the number of tourist visits in 2026 will at least match that of 2025, even with the policy of regulating visits based on carrying capacity and tourism capacity. During the trial period, tourism stakeholders suggested separating the quota allocation for cruise ships from regular tourism allocations. Based on 2025 cruise visit figures of around 35,000 or 8 percent of total visits, the number of visits in 2026 is predicted to be around 400,000. “Nevertheless, the Komodo National Park Authority will continue to monitor the impact of implementing this new visit regulation policy on the ecology, economy, society, and the park’s own management aspects,” she said.