Labuan Bajo tourist places to remain open during ASEAN Summit

West Manggarai, The Gulf Observer: Tourist destinations in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, will continue to operate during the 42nd ASEAN Summit implementation on May 9–11, 2023.

“Even though the ASEAN Summit will be held, the creative economy and tourism activities will still keep running. We are not canceling anything; everything will run normally,” Head of the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Tourism and Creative Economy Office Sony Libing said here on Thursday.

There will be no increase in the prices of entrance tickets to tourist destinations, he informed. However, there will be price adjustments for Komodo Island and Padar Island.

“(Prices of) other destinations will not increase, except for a little adjustment for Komodo Island and Padar Island. We give an extra rate for the tour guides and other things,” he said.

To anticipate a surge in visitors to tourist sites, the office has prepared an opening and closing scheme to ensure the comfort of tourists while supporting the ASEAN Summit activities.

One of the locations where the open/close scheme will be implemented is Marina Port, where tourists queue up to board ships to Labuan Bajo islands.

“We will certainly manage it well so that the events can run well so, during the ASEAN Summit, tourists can enjoy natural and cultural attractions in Labuan Bajo,” Libing said.

Furthermore, his side has urged tourists to keep wearing masks, especially in crowds, to prevent COVID-19 transmission.

“We urge the public and tourists to continue to wear masks and prevent activities that can cause a surge in COVID-19 (cases). We continue to implement the health protocols,” he said.

With its scenic locales, Labuan Bajo has been designated as a super-priority tourism destination by the government. It is the capital of the West Manggarai district and has seaports and an airport. It is also home to several famous attractions, such as Komodo Island, Pink Beach, and Manta Point.