ASITA’s Tourism Updates Don’t Replace Official Safety Clearance

Labuan Bajo — Industry group ASITA’s Nusa Tenggara Timur chapter has been updating members and media on tourism activity in Flores following the 15 August 2026 earthquake, but these statements and any informal checks by the association do not replace official structural, geological or public-health assessments carried out by government and technical agencies.

Reports from the Ministry of Tourism and the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority (BPOLBF) describe a gradual normalization of tourism activity in Labuan Bajo and Komodo National Park, backed by ongoing damage assessment and safety verification in affected areas. These official updates focus on whether destinations and supporting infrastructure can operate safely, rather than relying on industry self-reporting alone.

Industry role versus formal safety clearance

ASITA NTT chair Oyan Kristian has spoken publicly about tourism conditions in Flores in the weeks after the quake, emphasizing that activities have largely continued and that operators are providing updated information to visitors. He also underlined that destinations deemed to still pose safety risks, such as Wae Rebo and Liang Bua, should remain temporarily closed until authorities declare them safe.

According to an interview with Bisnis Indonesia, Oyan said tourism activity on Flores was again running as usual by 31 August, with travel businesses continuing to inform tourists and agents about current conditions at destinations. He welcomed the reopening of sites that had been assessed as safe, citing Kelimutu National Park’s reopening on 25 August as a positive step, while calling for caution at locations still considered hazardous.

These statements show ASITA’s function as an industry communicator and advocate. They do not amount to a formal certification that individual buildings, slopes, shorelines or transport facilities have been structurally or geologically cleared.

Official monitoring and reopening information

The Ministry of Tourism and BPOLBF issued several updates in the days after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Flores on Saturday, 15 August 2026. In a release dated 17 August, BPOLBF reported that tourism activity in Labuan Bajo had “returned to normal” as of 16 August, including operations at Marina Labuan Bajo and sailings to Komodo National Park, while data collection on damage to the sector was continuing.

A 19 August report by Medcom.id, citing BPOLBF and local authorities, stated that Labuan Bajo and key sites in Komodo National Park were generally operating again. Marina Labuan Bajo had resumed activity, and access to Pulau Padar, Loh Liang on Komodo Island, Loh Buaya on Rinca Island and Gili Lawa had reopened. Batu Cermin was reported to have reopened on 16 August, while Pulau Kelor and Kampung Adat Todo continued to receive visitors.

Medcom.id also noted that several large hotels in West Manggarai reported only minor damage, but one property, Hotel Jayakarta, suffered heavy structural damage, temporarily closed and evacuated guests as a precaution. In parallel, BPOLBF and the Ministry of Tourism continued to survey impacts across Flores and the wider “Floratama” tourism area.

In a 24 August update, BPOLBF said that by Sunday, 23 August, many destinations, access routes and supporting facilities in Flores had resumed operations, while some sites in harder-hit areas maintained temporary closures for safety reasons. The authority listed Komodo National Park and attractions such as Gua Rangko, Compang Liang Ndara, Puncak Waringin, Agrowisata Ngalor Kalo and Batu Cermin among locations that had returned to normal operations.

Damaged sites and uneven transport conditions

Despite the overall normalization, several destinations and transport links remained restricted. Medcom.id and Suara.com reported continued caution or closure at Wae Rebo, Ruteng Pu’u, Kelimutu National Park and the Gugus Pulau Teluk Maumere marine nature area. Kelimutu was affected by a crater-wall landslide, while parts of Ngada and Nagekeo regencies experienced electricity and communications problems.

Medcom.id also noted flight cancellations at Ende Airport through 20 August and at Ruteng’s Frans Sales Lega Airport through 22 August, while Komodo, Frans Seda and Gewayantana airports continued operating with schedule adjustments rather than full suspension. Other reports from the Ministry of Tourism and BPOLBF highlighted that, even where visitor activity had resumed, officials continued to prioritize safety and monitor aftershocks and weather conditions.

What travellers should check

Government and BPOLBF messages consistently urged travellers to distinguish between general statements that “tourism is normal” and the specific status of individual destinations and routes. The tourism authority advised visitors and stakeholders to verify conditions directly via its WhatsApp hotline at +62 811-3879-4555.

Official releases stressed that safety remains the primary concern, and that some attractions would stay closed until technical assessments confirm they are safe. Travellers are therefore advised to confirm the latest information for each site and transport link with local authorities, operators or the BPOLBF hotline, especially given ongoing aftershocks reported in the days following the earthquake.

In this context, ASITA’s communications and any informal checks by its members are useful for understanding operational readiness and demand trends, but they should be seen as complementary to — not a substitute for — official structural and geological evaluations and public-health clearance by competent authorities.

Sources

• Medcom.id
• Badan Pelaksana Otorita Labuan Bajo Flores (BPOLBF)
• Bisnis.com
• Suara.com