Tourists flock to dragons' lair

Tourists flock to dragons' lair

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The number of tourists visiting the island of Komodo increased by about 10 percent last year.

Paul Boleng, the head of the local tourism promotion agency, said on Wednesday that in 1995 over 24,000 tourists visited the island, home to the almost extinct Komodo dragons, compared to 22,000 the previous year.

Boleng said the tourists mostly come to the island from Denpasar, Bali, traveling via Mataram on Lombok.

He said that increased publicity surrounding diving near the Sibolo, Kanawa and Bidadari islands off western Flores, and the colorful lakes of Kelimutu has also helped to attract more visitors to the region.

Musakabe, the governor of the province, has urged the local people to benefit from the encouraging trend by producing more souvenirs. (16)