Tourism Workers in Indonesia Went on Strike as Fee to See Komodo Dragon Increases
Due to a sharp increase in the cost of Komodo dragon tickets, Indonesian tourist employees have gone on strike.
The cost to visit the major islands in Komodo National Park has increased from 200,000 rupiahs ($13) to 3,750,000 rupiahs ($250).
The government aims to control the number of tourists and save the threatened lizards from excessive human contact, according to a report by the BBC.
However, locals claimed that it will entirely frighten off tourists, causing a decline in their revenue.
According to the Reuters news agency, approximately 3,300 of the unique Komodo dragons live in Indonesia. The biggest lizard in the world may reach a length of three meters and has razor-sharp fangs and a deadly bite (10 feet).
Going on Strike
Busloads of visitors from all over the world go to Komodo National Park to observe the endangered species in person thanks to its distinctive, dinosaur-like look, with 220,000 doing so in 2019.
The local government expects this number to drop by raising the ticket charges, and the islands will again belong to their rightful owners: the dragons.
However, 700 local employees that depend on tourism, in response, are going on strike till the end of August.
A nearby tour company, Servianus Setiawan, said that the proposals endangered villagers who relied on tourism for their livelihood. Read More...
