Crossroads of Tourism in Indonesia: Overdevelopment versus Sustained Growing Interest

In Labuan Bajo, the incipient tourism hub in Indonesia, there is a critical development today. As the particular area is looking to benefit from its natural endowments, there is a strong appeal for moderation that considers the health and well-being of socio-economic factors, the local populace, and the environment.

Sustainability: The Bedrock of Development—A Bishop’s Plea

The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Bishop Maksimus Regus, has a more salient appeal to the government prioritizing the people and the condition of the environment in the new developments of tourism activities, saying, “This is focused on human-wildlife coexistence and includes sustainable livelihood strategies that promote ecosystem services and biodiversity.” In an Episcopal Lenten Pastoral letter of the 7th of April 2025, Bishop Regus pointed out that the future, successful tourism destination Labuan Bajo, depends on and correlates with the equilibrium ecosystem services.

A Warning: The Consequences of a Profit-Oriented System

Broadly focused on economic activities without consideration of positive intentions are dangerous. It is those that the current disregards population, environment, and tourism infrastructure that make all that revolves around local will from international attention regarded the proposal as lacking good exploitation of tourism in the area if information is not available within the looking for resources base to widen the approach to proposed exploitation. “Devastation to the affected community will ensue,” he warns, which materializes in the form of degraded ecology, unproductive economy, and conflict-ridden society.

Beyond “New Bali”: A Thoroughly Examined Conflict

The promotion of rapid tourism in Labuan Bajo gained traction with Joko Widodo’s administration. The government envisioned that region as “New Bali,” aiming to replicate the economic prosperity of Indonesia’s most sought-out island destination.

This dream is yet to be embraced universally. The previous government’s directive to allocate 400 hectares of forest land for hotel and resort development to the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority sparked intense outcry from local communities. This dissent represents a more profound social struggle, as communities and advocates oppose a development paradigm they view as recklessly optimizing resources at the expense of public health, environmental sustainability, and tissue welfare.

Environmental and Social Issues: The Cost of Advancement

There have been significant arguments that government-fueled tourism growth may be violent to the locals. They assert that this intended expansion would disregard the community’s needs while causing irreparable harm to the environment. Tourism expansion almost always involves clearing local forests and landfilling wetlands, which unnaturally disturbs and exacerbates the already unbalanced ecosystem.

Navigating Unrealized Outcomes: The Impacts of Unsustainable Transportation Practices

Earlier this year, in January, Labuan Bajo was regrettably flooded, showcasing the harsh effects of ill-advised tourism planning. This phenomenon serves as an alarming wake-up call about the precariousness of the region and how environmental neglect could impact the region socially and ecologically.

Additionally, social tensions have also formed relating to the use of open communal areas. The recent case of security guards at a hotel on the beachfront stopping locals from accessing a beach that used to be open to everyone presents an increasing potential for social tension and marginalization of local people from their lands and shared resources.

Take for instance putting people and nature first.

These reasons explain why the Regus message and other social strife he experiences in Labuan Bajo are signifying clearly that there is a critical gap that needs to be addressed. Everything indicates that the future of tourism in the area is dependent on integrated ethical policies fostering sustainable social and ecological businesses, which require establishing balance with nature, supporting social health, and securing access to the tourism industry articulated regionally, nationally, and globally.