Komodo islands tourism protest $400 tax to see dragons

Entry to the Komodo national park has increased 18 times over night, leading to strikes among Indonesian tourism workers who make their living from taking tourists to see dragons.

Komodo dragons are the largest reptiles in the world and the biggest attraction for tourists in the Indonesian national park in Flores. Growing up to three metres in length, there are fewer than 3500 of the giant lizards exclusively found in the island chain.

Now the cost of visiting the dragons is enormous as well - and local tourism workers aren't happy.

On Monday the cost of visiting the park ballooned from $30 to $400. Its a move that the government insists will help protect the natural treasures, but hundreds of guides and ferry operators that service the park are unhappy.

Earlier this week tourism minister Sandiago Uno asked for talks to end demonstrations which have led to the arrest of dozens, according to local news KompasTV.

Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province and the islands the dragons are found on are a Unesco World Heritage site. In 2019 it attracted 222,000 international visitors on cruises, small boats and on air links from the nearby island of Bali.

However the pandemic disruption has force the country to rethink its tourism plan – introducing a visitor tax for the few that have returned. There are now roughly 50,000 visitors to the dragons.

While the tourism ministry says the increase is to help conserve the islands, locals say the dragons are being turned into a cash cow to help recoup lost tourism dollars across Indonesia.

In 2020 the construction of a controversial visitor centre began in the world heritage park. A video of a construction vehicle facing off against a giant poisonous reptile went viral and was adopted as a symbol for those protesting the developments in the nature reserve.

A visit to the Komodo National Park world heritage area will now cost almost $400. Photo / Farjuddin Mudzakk, Unsplash

Komodo National Park is hardly the only country to hike their prices or introduce a 'tourist tax' post pandemic.

Earlier this year Bhutan tripled their daily visitor fee from $65 to $200. Venice finally announced a January 2023 start date for their long considered tourist tax, with a $10 entry fee for day trippers.

Some tourism businesses fear that the price hike will put off long term recovery in visitor numbers for short term revenue gain. Something the ferry and guiding operators of Komodo national park fear will be bad for their livelihoods.