Ministry caps planned Padar Island resort to 5.6% of concession

Labuan Bajo — — Indonesia’s forestry ministry says tourism development on Padar Island in Komodo National Park is tightly constrained, with an existing concession for PT Komodo Wildlife Ecotourism (PT KWE) allowing only a small portion of its licensed area to be built up and no permanent concrete structures.

A ministerial press release states that PT KWE has held an “Izin Usaha Penyediaan Sarana Wisata Alam” (nature tourism facilities business permit) since 2014 under Decree No. SK.796/Menhut-II/2014, covering 426.07 hectares in Komodo and Padar islands, including 274.13 hectares on Padar within the park’s utilization zone. According to the same release, there has been no construction of tourism facilities on Padar to date.

The ministry says the company’s planned built-up area on Padar is “very limited,” at around 15.375–15.75 hectares, equivalent to about 5.6 percent of its 274.13-hectare concession on the island. Officials have described the design as relying on lightweight or knockdown structures rather than large permanent concrete buildings, in line with standards for World Heritage sites.

Existing permit and scale of planned resort

The forestry ministry explains that PT KWE’s 2014 permit authorizes it to provide nature tourism facilities in a utilization zone of Padar Island for a 55-year period from 2014 to 2069. BBC Indonesia and several Indonesian media reports likewise describe PT KWE as the long-term concession holder for nature tourism development on Padar, with rights to 274.13 hectares, or about 19.5 percent of the island’s total area of 1,400.36 hectares.

Media coverage and ministry statements refer to a plan for 619 villas and related spa and resort facilities within this concession, framed as part of an upscale tourism project. However, the ministry’s clarification stresses that only about 5.6 percent of the concession area — roughly 15.4 hectares — is slated for actual construction, with the remainder to remain undeveloped within the utilization zone.

Ministry officials have said this project is being processed under environmental and World Heritage safeguards, noting that Padar Island forms part of Komodo National Park, which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the early 1990s.

Environmental review and public consultation

The forestry ministry says the resort plan is currently undergoing public consultation on its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), prepared to meet standards of the World Heritage Centre and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). According to the ministry, this consultation is part of a broader review to ensure that tourism facilities do not damage the environment or the habitat of Komodo dragons.

Officials have emphasized that any development on Padar must follow national procedures for protected areas and be compatible with Komodo National Park’s status as a World Heritage site. They underline that conservation remains the primary function of the park and that tourism use must be strictly limited in area and in the type of structures allowed.

Local concerns over resort project

Indonesian media report that local residents and tourism operators have objected to plans for hundreds of villas on Padar, citing fears over damage to the landscape and possible impacts on community livelihoods. Critics question whether high-end resort development aligns with the island’s conservation status and with the expectations of stakeholders who depend on Komodo National Park’s ecosystems and reputation.

In response, the forestry ministry has reiterated that all development remains subject to environmental assessment, public consultation and compliance with World Heritage guidance, and that only a small share of PT KWE’s concession area can be used for physical construction. As of the latest official clarification, authorities state that no tourism facilities have yet been built on Padar under PT KWE’s permit.

Sources

• Detik Bali/Nusra report on investor permit for 619 villas and spa on Padar
• Indonesian Ministry of Forestry press release on Padar Island resort project
• CNBC Indonesia article on Komodo National Park management and PT KWE concession
• Bisnis Indonesia feature on luxury resort development on Padar Island
• BBC Indonesia report on Padar villa project and local community reactions