Komodo National Park Visitor Numbers Drop 76 Percent in 2020

The Komodo National Park (TNK) area in West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, is one of Indonesia's flagship tourist destinations. However, the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) policy and the closure of activities to curb the spread of the Covid-19 virus impacted visitor numbers.

Based on data from the Komodo National Park Office compiled by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the number of TNK visitors before the Covid-19 pandemic reached 221,780. This comprised 144,070 foreign tourists and 77,640 domestic tourists.

Then, when Covid-19 entered Indonesia in March 2020, TNK visitors drastically decreased by 76.72% to only 51,620 last year. This comprised a 90.9% decrease in foreign tourists to 13,090 and a 50.37% decrease in domestic tourists to 38,530.

(read: [Komodo Airport Capacity Targeted at 4 Million Passengers in 2024](https://databoks.katadata.co.id/datapublish/2020/02/11/kapasitas-bandara-komodo-ditargetkan-4-juta-penumpang-pada-2024))

Furthermore, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee requested that the Indonesian Government temporarily halt infrastructure projects within and around the TNK area.

This request was made because the ongoing infrastructure projects will impact the outstanding universal value (OUV), potentially disrupting the Komodo dragon habitat.