2023 Study Proposes Five-Part Ecotourism Strategy for Komodo Village

Labuan Bajo — — A 2023 study in the Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Administrasi outlines a community ecotourism strategy for Komodo Village on Komodo Island, centring on stronger local institutions, visitor information, MSME support, cultural promotion and a public bazaar. The paper presents the plan as a community empowerment effort rather than proof of an already fully operating tourism system.

Komodo Village, also known as Kampung Komodo, is the only permanent settlement on Komodo Island and a fishing village about 30 minutes by boat south of the Loh Liang entrance, according to Lonely Planet and Komodo Guide. The village is listed by Indonesia’s tourism ministry database as Desa Wisata Komodo in Kampung Komodo, Desa Komodo, Manggarai Barat.

The study by Anif Muchlashin says the main problem is limited community knowledge and skills in managing natural and tourism resources in the village, and it describes the area as having tourism potential that was not yet being managed effectively. It was published in 2023 in volume 13, issue 1 of the journal and is identified in the article metadata as receiving the paper on July 5, 2023, reviewing it on July 10 and approving it on July 22.

What the strategy proposed

Muchlashin’s paper says the research used a participatory action research approach focused on understanding conditions, planning and taking action. The study says the empowerment work included strengthening the village tourism awareness group, or Pokdarwis, forming guide lines, socialising and supporting MSMEs, producing promotional videos and staging a bazaar and people’s promo event, known as Pespora.

The paper also frames the village’s assets as cultural attractions, scenery and access to the park, but says promotion and information were still limited, so many visitors did not know about them. It argues that community-based tourism could broaden what visitors do in the village beyond the park’s flagship wildlife attractions.

According to the study, one proposed value-added path was to process fish caught by residents instead of selling it directly to middlemen, alongside developing products such as woven noken bags. Those suggestions are presented as opportunities for local enterprise, not as evidence that a mature production chain already exists.

Residents and conservation constraints

The study says local residents already took part in the visitor economy, including work as guides, rangers and MSME operators, while souvenirs included accessories and Komodo statues. At the same time, it draws a distinction between working in tourism and controlling tourism: some community involvement was still described as labour participation rather than community-led packages that generated new income.

That distinction matters in a conservation setting. Komodo Island is part of Komodo National Park, and the paper says activities in Desa Komodo need to be aligned with the park’s function as a protected area. The paper does not set out a formal authority-sharing arrangement or revenue-sharing mechanism between the village, Pokdarwis and park administrators.

For visitors, the confirmed takeaway is narrower: Kampung Komodo is a living settlement inside the park area and a stop for travellers who want village life alongside Komodo’s natural attractions. The 2023 study offers a roadmap for strengthening that role, but it does not by itself establish a current operating framework for the village’s tourism model.

Context

Komodo Village is located in Komodo District, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, according to the journal paper and the tourism ministry’s destination listing. Lonely Planet describes the settlement as a fishing village and notes the short boat ride from Loh Liang, while Komodo Guide places it as the only permanent settlement on the island.

Sources

• Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Administrasi article PDF
• Lonely Planet – Kampung Komodo
• Komodo Guide – Komodo Island
• Kementerian Pariwisata / Jadesta – Desa Wisata Komodo