Foreigners seeking to visit the Indonesian island of Komodo will need to purchase annual entry tickets priced at US$1000 per person.
The provincial government of East Nusa Tenggara is preparing to establish a digital ticketing system in 2020 for foreign tourists to the island, which is home to more than 4,000 komodo dragons and stunning landscapes.
Marius Ardu Jelamu, a spokesperson of the provincial government, said the payment system will be electronically administered by a state-owned bank, while entry will be controlled using an annual membership system.
At US$1,000 (around AUD$1460) or Rp. 14,000,000 per ticket per year, it's not a cheap entry for tourists, but the provincial government says it has good reason to implement such a high charge.
“The US$1,000 entry pass is very cheap for a foreign visitor to come to Komodo Island, which is one of the Seven Wonders of Nature,” said Mr Jelamu .
General view of Komodo Island in Indonesia. Source: AAP Image/Sezargerry Sumardi
"How could the komodo dragon, a rare species, be valued with a low ticket price? This is impossible."
Mr Jelamu said the local government will partner-up with the government-owned bank Bank NTT to process payments. The soon-to-be-enforced membership system means that tourists can visit the island many times in a year on one single payment.
Komodo Island is part of the Komodo National Park in Indonesia, established in 1980 to protect the giant reptile. The National Park is comprised of 29 big and small islands including Komodo, Padar and Rinca.
It was reported in March that from 2020 Komodo Island would be closed for conservation purposes. But from the findings of a team appointed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to review the decision, it was decided the island would not be closed.
Padar Island of Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Source: Pixabay
The reversal of the decision was partly based on the rejection from the Komodo's village community, which has lived on the island for decades before it was made a National Park and has refused to be relocated. There was also a concern that the livelihoods of residents and business owners in the area would be greatly disturbed by the closure.
