Komodo Island to Become Exclusive Tourist Destination
The government plans to make Komodo Island an exclusive tourist destination beginning at the end of 2020 in order to effectively maintain the environment in the area.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Komodo Island is part of the Komodo National Park area that was declared by UNESCO in 1986 as a World Heritage site.
The decision to make it an exclusive tourist destination is expected to be able to protect and maintain the environment and the habitat of the Komodo dragon on the island.
The plan was unveiled by Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan in Jakarta on Friday (11/10/2019). He hoped the plan could be realized beginning at the end of 2020.
In addition to Komodo Island, Rinca Island and Padar Island located nearby have also become tourist destinations. In addition to its status as an exclusive destination, said Luhut, the area would become a research center and tourist destination that preserves the environment.
The designation of the Komodo Island as an exclusive destination will cause an increase in tourist admission fees to enter the park. Luhut gave the example of the admission fee of a safari tour in Africa, which can reach up to US$3,000. "So, companies that will manage it should be bona fide companies, both domestic and foreign," he said.
The people who will be appointed to manage Komodo Island should have the ability to protect animal habitats, preserve the environment, as well as empower local communities. The inhabitants of Komodo Island will be maintained, regulated and empowered so that they have better employment opportunities and will live a more prosperous life.
Separately, Indonesian Tourism Industry Association (GIPI) chairman Didin Junaedi said the tourism industry supported the idea of making Komodo Island an exclusive tourist destination. He hoped its status as a world heritage site could be maintained. The carrying capacity of the area and the habitat of the Komodo dragon should also be protected. Nevertheless, Komodo Island still needs some improvements.
The plan to make the park an exclusive destination should also be communicated to tourism-related companies and agents. Managers are also expected to have good knowledge related to conservation and long-term management.
With such a plan, the visits should be limited according to the carrying capacity of the area. Visitors must register their visits and take turns. Therefore, Labuan Bajo port, which has become a transit point for tourists to Komodo Island, must be equipped with adequate accommodation and facilities.
"It takes time to conduct a thorough study as well as the dissemination of the plan to domestic and foreign tourism service providers," he said.
Infrastructure
Related to infrastructure financing, the opportunity for business entities to participate in the development of public infrastructure facilities is wide open.
The managing director of PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur, or SMI (Persero), Edwin Syahruzad said Indonesia needed the involvement of many companies in the development of infrastructure facilities related to public services and the opportunity was wide open.
According to him, the government could provide support in the form of viability gap funding (VGF/cash support funds). In many countries, many public facilities and services are provided and built by the private sector so that the community will not be burdened. Therefore, creative financing schemes are needed. "The provision of VGF is a form of creative financing," said Edwin.
The success of an infrastructure project does not only involve financing. A project must be prepared or assessed for feasibility so that the business entity or private sector will be interested.
The preparation is one of SMI\'s businesses. As of September 2019, SMI had been involved in the development of 15 projects worth Rp 51.2 trillion. In the financing and investment business, SMI has secured total contracts worth Rp 98 trillion and Rp 58.5 trillion.
The multiplier impact of the development of infrastructure facilities worth trillions of rupiah on the community should be closely assessed. Although many infrastructure facilities have been built, the need to develop other infrastructure facilities for the future is high. On the other hand, the more business entities are involved in infrastructure projects, the less the government\'s fiscal burden will be.
In addition to supporting connectivity, facilities that will be needed in the future are urban infrastructure, including drinking water supply, waste management, transportation and housing.
According to Edwin, an appropriate financing scheme for such a project should be in the form of cooperation between the government and business entities.
Separately, the Public Works and Housing Ministry has agreed to cooperate with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Jakarta administration to build domestic wastewater treatment plants and pipeline networks.
(LKT/NAD)