The recent case of fraud involving a group of tourists, including 13 U.S. nationals, has drawn public attention to the urgent need for improved tourism governance in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The incident has raised serious concerns about the protection of foreign visitors and the long-term reputation of the region as a world-class tourist destination.
NTT Governor Melkiades Laka Lena emphasized that tourism management in Labuan Bajo must be significantly improved to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“All negative incidents, including those in the tourism sector, should serve as a wake-up call for all stakeholders. Tourism governance must be improved so these issues don’t repeat,” Melkiades said on June 8, 2025, as quoted by antaranews.com.
The comment followed the revelation of a scam conducted by an unregistered travel agent, Gratio Tour, which left 20 tourists stranded and forced them to pay double for services they had already paid in full. The tourists had transferred approx. USD 6,300 in advance, which covered a Komodo National Park trip, boat rental, and entrance tickets. However, they were abandoned at Labuan Bajo Marina for nearly eight hours when the boat operator refused service due to unpaid dues from the agent.
“We had to pay around USD 575 again, even though we already paid everything,” said Ruth Krisnianti Utami, an Indonesian-American who organized the trip for her American husband and extended family, as reported by detik.com.
Calls for Stronger Oversight and Law Enforcement in Tourism
Asita (Association of the Indonesian Tours and Travel Agencies) NTT chapter confirmed that Gratio Tour was not a registered member. Its local chairman, Oyan Kristian, warned that the same travel agent had previously committed similar scams.
“There must be stronger control functions to prevent these incidents from happening again,” Oyan told.
The group of tourists—comprising 13 foreign nationals and seven Indonesians—were eventually allowed to continue their trip to Komodo National Park after local police intervened and mediated with the boat operator and the agent’s family. However, during the trip, they were again asked to pay USD 525 for park entrance fees and another USD 50 for a shuttle to the airport. A handwritten receipt was issued, but no official tickets were provided.
“This kind of experience should never happen to any tourist,” Ruth said. She urged authorities to monitor travel agencies more strictly and to legally process agents who commit fraud to deter others.
This is not the first reported scam in Labuan Bajo. In 2022, a couple shared on TikTok how they were duped by another agent, losing USD 750 for a canceled boat trip. They eventually recovered their funds after publicizing the incident.
As NTT continues to position Labuan Bajo as a premium destination, Governor Melkiades reiterated the need for simultaneous improvements in technical competence, moral integrity, and law enforcement.
“There must be legal consequences for anyone violating the rules,” he stressed.
Without stricter regulations and reliable tourism operators, Labuan Bajo risks losing credibility on the global stage. Protecting tourists must be a top priority to preserve the region’s image and ensure sustainable tourism growth.
Source: antaranews.com, detik.com, liputan6.com, republika.co.id
Photo Credit: el jusuf via pexels.com
