New Entrance Fee Applies; Regulation will Follow

Komodo National Park was not created for mass tourism but for special-interest tourism targeted at a limited number of visitor. Thus, all parties need to change their mindset regarding special-interest-tourism activities

KOMPAS/PRADIPTA PANDU MUSTIKA

Landscape from the top of Padar Island in the Komodo National Park area, East Nusa Tenggara, Thursday (28/7/2022).

LABUAN BAJO, KOMPAS – Komodo National Park began imposing an entrance fee of Rp 3.75 million (around US$250) starting on Monday (1/8/2022), despite no underlying regulation to support it. The new East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) administration plans to include the new fee in a regional regulation.

Several legal practitioners and observers are advised to temporarily suspend the new tariff until its legal basis is established. This is to ensure legal certainty. If the new entrance fee is still enforced, it can be considered as a form of illegal levies with various legal consequences.