What Komodo’s investment-led conservation model means for Ata Modo

Labuan Bajo — Komodo National Park was established in 1980 to protect Komodo dragons, but conservation management is increasingly tied to tourism investment and contested community rights, according to Floresa.

Floresa’s report examines Mutis Timau National Park as a case of conservation opening the door to investment and uses Komodo National Park for comparison. It says the protected area has been increasingly directed towards investment-based tourism since its establishment.

The report states that permits for tourism infrastructure inside Komodo National Park have faced opposition from Ata Modo residents. Ata Modo communities live within the park and have raised concerns about how investment-led management affects customary land and local participation, according to reporting by Floresa and research published by the University of Melbourne.

Why Komodo’s model matters to park visitors

Management decisions affect how visitors access protected areas, how tourism facilities are developed and how conservation rules interact with communities living inside the park. The issue is therefore not limited to infrastructure. It concerns the balance between protecting the Komodo dragon, permitting commercial tourism and recognising the position of Ata Modo residents.

Floresa reports that the government’s approach has strengthened the role of investment in tourism planning around protected areas in East Nusa Tenggara. Its comparison places Komodo National Park within a wider debate over whether conservation areas should accommodate private tourism development.

A 2025 Floresa report states that Ata Modo residents, tourism operators, legislators and civil-society groups opposed private tourism infrastructure projects in the park. It identifies PT Komodo Wildlife Ecotourism as one company holding permits for facilities including resorts, villas and jetties on Padar Island and in Loh Liang on Komodo Island.

The University of Melbourne’s Indonesia at Melbourne reports that tourism development in and around Komodo Island has created disputes over spatial access and traditional territory. It also reports that private tourism concessions inside the park have prompted opposition from communities and conservation groups.

Sources

• Floresa — regional investigative news report
• Indonesia at Melbourne, University of Melbourne — analysis of Komodo tourism development
• news.mongabay.com