Jakarta. Environment and Forestry Ministry will impose a daily visitor cap of 1,000 people at Komodo National Park starting in early 2026 to protect the park’s fragile ecosystem from growing tourism pressure.

Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (KSDAE) Satyawan Pudyatmoko said the measure follows a sharp rise in tourist arrivals to the park, which surpassed 300,000 visits in 2024.

“The increase in visitors has led to potential threats of degradation to both terrestrial and marine ecosystems, as well as discomfort during tourist activities,” Satyawan told state news agency ANTARA on Tuesday.

Under the new system, the Komodo National Park Authority will allocate visitor quotas based on studies of the park’s carrying capacity. The daily cap will be divided into three visiting sessions, each accommodating around 300 to 330 people.

The regulation will be implemented gradually through the SiOra mobile application, which will handle visitor registration and distribution. Authorities plan to conduct public outreach and simulations between October and December 2025 before starting a trial period in January 2026. The quota system will become fully effective in April 2026.

The move comes after reports of overcrowding on the popular hiking trail leading to the summit of Padar Island, one of the park’s main attractions.

Environment and Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni had previously expressed concern over overtourism in Komodo National Park, saying that the conditions on Padar Island now resemble a “busy marketplace,” contradicting the park’s conservation goals.

He said the government aims to reposition Komodo tourism toward a more exclusive, “niche” ecotourism model that aligns with the park’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a critical habitat for the endangered Komodo dragon.

Komodo National Park, located in East Nusa Tenggara, comprises three main islands—Komodo, Rinca, and Padar—and several smaller islets. It is home to over 2,500 Komodo dragons and attracts both local and international travelers seeking to witness the world’s largest living lizard in its natural environment.