Labuan Bajo souvenir traders still face weak sales after August Flores quake

Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, NTT — Souvenir and handicraft micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Labuan Bajo report that sales remain sharply below normal one month after the 7.7-magnitude Flores earthquake of 15 August 2026, even as events and destination promotion begin drawing tourists back to the town’s main streets.

In mid-September, traders interviewed by regional media in Labuan Bajo said turnover at souvenir stalls and shops had dropped significantly since the earthquake and associated safety closures, with some businesses seeing days with almost no customers. Shop owners described cancelled trips by both domestic and foreign visitors in the weeks immediately after the quake, and said that although visitor numbers had started to increase again, spending at souvenir outlets was still weak compared with pre-disaster levels.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck north of central Flores in the early morning of 15 August 2026, triggering a tsunami warning and a series of aftershocks that were felt as far as Labuan Bajo. According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, the main shock and subsequent aftershocks prompted temporary closures of destinations and damaged accommodation, access roads and several tourism villages in the broader Flores region, including areas linked to Labuan Bajo’s visitor economy.

Authorities and tourism agencies emphasised that key infrastructure in Labuan Bajo remained operational or reopened quickly after safety checks.

According to updates from the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority (BPOLBF), Komodo International Airport continued to serve flights, Marina Labuan Bajo stayed in operation and maritime access to Komodo National Park was reopened following a short suspension once tsunami warnings were lifted. Local regulations allowed tourist boats to resume sailing from Labuan Bajo on the same day as the earthquake after the harbour master issued a formal notice reopening shipping lanes.

By early September, BPOLBF and the Ministry of Tourism were reporting that tourism activities in Labuan Bajo were gradually returning to normal, with major attractions such as Komodo National Park, Padar Island and popular viewpoints and caves once again open to visitors. Regional officials told national media that visitor flows to Labuan Bajo were stable and that there had been no mass exodus of tourists from the town after the quake.

Despite this broader recovery narrative, MSME traders in the souvenir sector said their takings had not bounced back at the same pace as headline visitor numbers. One shop operator interviewed by local media explained that a relocated souvenir store near Marina Labuan Bajo, which had begun operating in August 2026, was seeing lower turnover than expected because many tourists were still prioritising basic services and core attractions over shopping for handicrafts.

Government bodies and tourism agencies have publicly highlighted MSMEs as a focus of recovery efforts.

The Ministry of Tourism stated at the end of August that its post-earthquake programme in Labuan Bajo would address the “entire tourism chain”, explicitly including local MSMEs alongside hotels, restaurants, tourist boats and guides. BPOLBF’s early-September communication similarly noted that while many major accommodation properties and attractions had resumed operations, some businesses remained subject to technical inspection and ongoing support.

To help restore visitor confidence and spending, BPOLBF and partners have used events and destination branding campaigns to promote Labuan Bajo as safe and open.

On 19 September 2026, BPOLBF hosted the fifth edition of the Picnic Over the Hill of Parapuar event in Labuan Bajo, featuring Indonesian musician Wizz Baker and a solidarity programme for Flores earthquake survivors. Organisers said the event involved 17 MSME participants offering local products at affordable stall fees and aimed to draw tourists back into the town’s attractions and creative economy. Ticket sales reported by the national broadcaster showed hundreds of visitors attending, reflecting a gradual return of domestic tourism activity.

As of mid-September, traders in Labuan Bajo’s souvenir sector remain dependent on this slow recovery in visitor arrivals and spending.

Local MSME operators told regional media they were still waiting for concrete support measures promised by authorities to stabilise their businesses and help them adapt after the earthquake’s disruption. With Labuan Bajo’s core tourism infrastructure functioning and major destinations open, the pace of recovery for small souvenir and handicraft traders now largely hinges on how quickly travellers resume buying beyond essential services and on the effectiveness of targeted assistance programmes.

Sources

• Tribun Kupang regional NTT report on MSME souvenir turnover
• RRI Manggarai Barat tourism report on Picnic Over the Hill Vol. 5
• BPOLBF official news release on POTHP Vol. 5 solidarity event
• Traveltext report on Ministry of Tourism post-earthquake recovery plans for Labuan Bajo
• Indonesia Juara blog explainer on Labuan Bajo and Komodo conditions September–December 2026
• Akurat.co report on Ministry of Tourism assurances for visitor safety in Floratama destinations post-earthquake
• Metro TV news video and article on Labuan Bajo tourism recovery
• Bisnis.com Bali report on Labuan Bajo tourism one month after Flores earthquake