Komodo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the most iconic tourist destinations in Indonesia. It is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and incredible wildlife. This park is home to innumerable species of animals and plants, including the famous reptiles, Komodo dragons. However, the government has introduced a new policy to limit the number of visitors per day. From 2026, only 1000 visitors per day will be allowed to explore the park. This will surely make it an even more exclusive experience for those who visit. Why? Well, keep reading to know!
Komodo National Park Will Have Only 1000 Visitors Per Day
Tourism at Komodo National Park has increased in recent years, with about 300,000 visitors in 2024 alone. This sudden surge in the number of visitors has raised serious concerns. The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry has therefore decided to cap the daily number of visitors at 1,000 per day. The government is emphasizing the fact that tourism should continue as it provides important welfare benefits to its local communities, but it must also not harm the park’s ecological integrity.
Reasons Behind The New Rule
The increasing number of tourists or visitors is economically beneficial, but it has its own disadvantages. The influx has led to overcrowding, especially at popular sites like Padar Island. It has actually become too congested to be known as a conservation area.
This huge influx of visitors actually disrupts the habitats of endangered species causing irreversible impacts on the fragile terrestrial environments and coral reefs. Moreover, overcrowding also pulls down the quality of experience for tourists as they tend to find such sites less enjoyable, thanks to congestion.
To maintain the park’s ecological integrity and also keep its role intact as a World Heritage Site that actually focuses on conservation and ecotourism, the Indonesian government has decided to regulate the visitor flow on daily basis, strictly. This policy aims to protect the rare Komodo dragons (reptiles) and other species at the same time preserve the natural environment and its biodiversity.
Implementation Of The New Rule
Starting from October to December 2025, to implement this new policy, the ministry will do an information dissemination campaign and simulation exercises for all the stakeholders and tourists. A trial period will begin from January 2026, dividing the 1,000 daily visitors into three sessions of about 300 to 330 tourists each.
This phased approach will help all the tourists/visitors and tourism operators to understand the new regulations. If the trial is successful, the new rule will be officially enforced from April 2026
Additional steps include installing signboards, fences, and increasing volunteer coordination to protect sensitive areas like Padar Island. This measure is part of their bigger move by the Forestry Ministry to ensure tourism is sustainable and also that visitor benefits to local welfare cannot come at an ecological cost.
Summing Up
The decision to limit visitors to Komodo National Park from 2026 reflects Indonesia’s commitment to sustainable tourism and the protection of a unique global heritage site. The park’s fame for the Komodo dragons, stunning landscapes, and rich biodiversity makes it a precious ecological asset deserving of preservation efforts.
