Authors: Abdul Rafi’ Damar Negoro, Abdul Rahman Nasution, Nur Arofah, and Yuni Asnidar
Reviewers: Farid Al-Firdaus, Nadia Faradiba, Alfi Nabila, and Dinda Ganisawati Javada
Indonesia 2045
The acceleration of industry and tourism is highlighted under the sustainable economic development pillar of Indonesia Vision 2045. It states that Indonesia will be one of the world’s top destinations. To achieve the goal, the government issued the Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia No.50/2011 concerning the National Tourism Development Master Plan 2010 – 2025 and Presidential Regulation 109/2020 concerning the Third Amendment to Presidential Regulation No. 3/ 2016 on Acceleration of Implementation of National Strategic Projects. The regulations determined National Tourism Strategic Areas (NTSA) in several locations in Indonesia, one of which is the Komodo National Park (KNP).
Economic Facts
Tourism contributes to Indonesia’s GDP by around 4.7 percent (Kemenparekraf 2021 in Roadmap 2045). While in West Manggarai Regency, during the 2014-2018 period, the total realization of the tourist attraction levy was Rp. 18,637,564,032, with an average increase of 16.7 percent per year, contributing to 4.4 percent of Regional Original Income. (PAD).[2] As a regulator, the government has the attitude and action to make regulations that facilitate investment activities as one of the partners in implementing infrastructure development and tourism business development in KNP.[7] Currently, three private companies have obtained concession permits under the Nature Tourism Concession Permit (IPPA) scheme, which consists of a Business License for the Provision of Nature Tourism Services (IUPJWA) and a Business Permit for the Provision of Nature Tourism Facilities (IUPSWA). The three companies are[9] (i ) Segara Komodo Lestari (SKL), as the first company to receive an IUPSWA covering an area of 22.1 hectares on Rinca Island, (ii) PT Komodo Wildlife Ecotourism on Komodo Island 154.6 Ha and Padar Island covering an area of 274.81 hectares with an IUPSWA permit, and (iii) PT Synergindo Niagatama (PT SN) in Tatawa Island on an area of 6,490 hectares.
Environmental and social impacts
The literature review of tourism’s environmental impact in KNP [10] mentioned some potentially negative environmental impacts. The first impact is a change in the landscape space of an area that will impact the entire system, namely forest areas, to become non-forest areas written in Presidential Regulation No. 32/2018 [11]. In the article on the coverage of the area planned as a tourism area, it is written that the total area of the tourism area is 400 hectares, and the utilization of the forest area is at least 264 hectares, of which management rights have not been granted, carried out under the IUPJWA scheme. This plan was assessed by several environmental activists[12] as potentially degrading KNP’s environmental quality. The second impact, forest loss, can potentially reduce the quality and quantity of water availability in KNP, where the KNP area falls into a very dry climate, so that water scarcity may occur. There is one river on Rinca Island, the Dora Oro, which once flowed all year round in the mid-1970s, but nowadays, the water flow almost does not exist[13]. The drought is caused by increasing water use or diversion of water sources by communities, climate change, and deteriorating forests in water catchment areas.
Social impact
Socially, tourism activities also threaten social cohesion [15]. Currently, the livelihoods of the people in KNP have changed from being fishermen to players in the tourism industry, such as crew members, souvenir traders, food sellers, komodo statue makers, guides, rangers, and so on. for farming or as fishermen, so that tourism is their only source of livelihood at this time[18]. The entry of investors to become tourism managers in KNP can marginalize indigenous people who are not widely embraced in KNP tourism management, even leading to rejection in the form of protests from the community, especially in 2019 and 2020 [18]. Not only that, according to one conservation activist in the 2021 Walhi discussion [19], until 2021, at least 2,000 residents in Kampung Komodo live crammed into a 17-hectare land and will face legal challenges if they invade land outside that area, while the government permits investors to entrepreneurs to work on an area of 600 hectares.
Alternative 1: Ecotourism
One of the ecotourism principles is improving local community economies [20]. One example is the development of the Hemis national park, India, a National Park which is the original habitat of the snow leopard in India. One of the accommodation options developed for tourists is the homestay system, where tourists are provided with a place to stay and treated to local food by hosts who are local people. So that tourists have the experience of being in a local community [21].
Alternative 2: Ex situ conservation
The development of Komodo dragon conservation with the Jurassic Park concept is carried out outside Komodo Island, with ex situ conservation development. The government can conduct cross-sectoral collaboration in the development of Jurassic Park ex-situ. One is the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme in developing ex situ conservation. This scheme can be carried out in the tourism area of central Indonesia, considering that one of the milestones in Indonesia’s tourism development is the collection of regional tourism [23]. One example of cross-sectoral success in animal translocation that has been successful as ecotourism is Taj Safaris, an ex-situ conservation of endangered animals. The Government of India is collaborating with a hotel and resort conglomerate in India.
Conclusion
Alternative 1 (one) is a policy that the author advocates to continue to involve local communities in economic activities that take place in KNP. The involvement is important to maintain cohesion and social relations between local communities and existing stakeholders. Alternative 2 (two) is a technocratic step taken by the government with business people involved in managing KNP. The PPP scheme is one of the common practices in developing an area with economic and business potential. The two policies that the author advocates above can be implemented by continuing to communicate with local communities as initial subjects in the management and development of TKN while preparing a PPP scheme in the development of Komodo dragon conservation with the concept of a Jurassic park. The duality between KNP management and community based and/or corporate activities through investment is a tension existing stakeholders should continue.
References
[1] UNWTO, Global Report on Public-Private Partnerships: Tourism Development
[2] Konservasi Komodo dan Izin Pembangunan Pariwisata Super Premium Jurassic Park, Nur Vita Permatasari1 , Adji Kawigraha2 , Faizinal Abidin2 , Angela Natalia Ghea Puspita2 1Magister Ilmu Lingkungan UNDIP email: nvita.permatasari@gmail.com 2Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi.
[3] Pengaruh Destinasi Pariwisata Pulau Komodo Terhadap Beberapa Aspek Pembangunan Di Kabupaten Manggarai Barat, Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi Publik, Vol. 7 No. 1 Maret 2019, Mustamin H. Idris, Selva, Rizky Destari. https://journal.ummat.ac.id/index.php/JIAP/article/view/776
[3] https://bisnis.tempo.co/amp/1620751/kenaikan-tarif-masuk-tn-komodo-ditunda-hingga-akhir-tahun-tetap-rp-375-juta0
[4] https://tirto.id/di-balik-polemik-kenaikan-harga-tiket-taman-nasional-komodo-di-ntt-guGU
[5] https://pedulicovid19.kemenparekraf.go.id/kenaikan-tarif-taman-nasional-komodo-ditunda-hingga-1-januari-2023/
[6] https://theconversation.com/amp/polemik-tn-komodo-mengapa-pengelolaan-situs-warisan-dunia-bukan-cuma-soal-kenaikan-tarif-187844
[7] https://sunspiritforjusticeandpeace.org/2021/03/01/utak-atik-regulasi-demi-investasi-di-tn-komodo/1877/
[8] https://sunspiritforjusticeandpeace.org/2021/03/01/utak-atik-regulasi-demi-investasi-di-tn-komodo/1877/
[9] https://www.walhi.or.id/balai-taman-nasional-komodo-tertutup-dan-tidak-melibatkan-masyarakat-dalam-rrm-unesco-dan-iucn
[10] Syahadat, Ray March dan Putra, Rizal Ichsan Syah. 2021. Dampak positif dan negatif pembangunan di Komodo dan sekitarnya: sebuah tinjauan literatur. Envoist Journal (Environmental Sustainability Journal)Volume 2-Nomor 2, 2021. Tersedia pada [http://e-journal.ivet.ac.id/index.php/envoist/index ]
[11] Peraturan Presiden (PERPRES) Nomor 32 Tahun 2018 tentang Badan Otorita Pengelolaan Kawasan Pariwisata Labuan Bajo Flores
[12] Nggarang, Yosef Sampurna. 2022. Bowosie: Bisnis Orang Pusat di Labuan Bajo?. Tersedia pada: [https://www.floresa.co/2022/04/22/bowosie-bisnis-orang-pusat-di-labuan-bajo/]
[13] Ahmad, Risdawati; Nurmawati, Kikiy Mega; Kodir, Abdul. Air dan Konflik: Studi Ketersediaan Sumber Daya Air di Kawasan Taman Nasional Komodo. 31 August 2021.Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora 337 Vol. 10, No. 2, Tersedia pada: http://dx.doi.org/10.23887/jish-undiksha.v10i2.30379
[14] Rohman, Taufiqur. Dampak Pembangunan Jurrasic Park di Pulau Rinca, Komodo Punah?. Tersedia pada [https://phinemo.com/dampak-pembangunan-jurrasic-park-di-pulau-rinca-komodo-punah/]
[16] https://www.mongabay.co.id/2019/07/31/ini-dampak-rencana-penutupan-pulau-komodo-bagi-warga-dan-wisatawan/amp/
[18] Dale, Cypri Jehan Paju and Afioma, Gregorius. 2020. Puzzling Confluence of Conservation and Ecotourism in Komodo National Park. Japan-ASEAN Transdisciplinary Studies Working Paper Series No. 10. October 2020. https://japan-asean.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/WP_10_cypri_20210128.pdf
[19] Anonim. 2021. Publik Turut Mendesak Pemerintah Untuk Menghentikan Pembangunan Di Taman Nasional Komodo. Tersedia pada: https://www.walhi.or.id/publik-turut-mendesak-pemerintah-untuk-menghentikan-pembangunan-di-taman-nasional-komodo
[20] Ringkasan Eksekutif Visi Indonesia 2045, Kementerian PPN/Bappenas, 2019