Labuan Bajo. The Komodo National Park Authority (BTNK) in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), plans to implement regular closures on certain days starting in mid-2025 as part of its conservation efforts.

BTNK Head Hendrikus Rani Siga announced that the closure plan is still in the preliminary stages. The process will involve initial assessments, public consultations, further studies if necessary, final reporting, dissemination, and eventual implementation. The primary goal is to reduce the pressure on the park and mitigate the negative impacts of tourism activities.

"We hope to implement this by mid-2025 because the current intensity of use in Komodo National Park is very high. Therefore, it is necessary for the park to recover or take a break from usage pressures. Nature also needs to be taken care of and given a chance to rest. We must have a collective awareness that conservation is the most important thing," Hendrikus stated on Thursday.

Another objective of these regular closures is to boost tourist attractions outside the park, particularly in terrestrial areas, and to stimulate the local economy.

"With these periodic closures, it is expected to enhance tourist attractions outside the national park, both in marine and terrestrial areas, thereby increasing the local economy," Hendrikus added.

Acting President Director of the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority (BPOLBF) Frans Teguh noted that regular closures in conservation areas like Komodo National Park are common practices necessary for recovery and regeneration processes.

BTNK recorded a total of 300,488 international and domestic tourists visiting Komodo National Park throughout 2023, up from 170,354 in 2022.