Jetstar Asia said it will launch direct flights linking Singapore with the Indonesian city of Labuan Bajo, which is considered the “gateway” to Komodo National Park.
The park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site listed in 1991, is home to several thousand Komodo dragons, the largest lizard species in the world, according to UNESCO.
Komodo National Park is the only place where these lizards are found in the wild, adding to the mystique of the reptile that, on rare occasions, It is known to attack humans.
The park, spread across several islands in Indonesia, can be reached from Labuan Bajo via boat.
Jetstar Asia, a Singapore-based low-cost airline, said twice-weekly flights to Labuan Bajo will begin on March 20. The airline will be the only carrier operating this route.
“This is the first time Changi Airport has been directly connected to this amazing destination,” Lim Cheng Kiat, Changi Airport Group’s executive vice president for airport development and cargo, said in a press release announcing the new flights.
One of the “New Bali Five”
Labuan Bajo is popular with divers One of 10 new balls In 2016, a government plan was put in place to promote other destinations in Indonesia outside of Bali.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has been reduced to five new palis, a list that includes Borobudur, Mandalika, Lake Toba, Likupang and Labuan Bajo.
The city has long been difficult to reach, with many international travelers choosing to visit the area by cruise ship. International flights to Labuan Bajo Airport, called Komodo International Airport, will begin in 2024, with AirAsia flights departing from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
John Simeone, CEO of Jetstar Asia, described Labuan Bajo as a “hidden gem” in Indonesia and an “incredible holiday hotspot”.
However, some conservation organizations say increased tourism threatens the habitat of Komodo dragons, which have been endangered since 2019, according to International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Officials at Komodo National Park are considering a plan to conduct regular, short-term closures of the park — even for a single day — this year to mitigate the negative impacts of tourism and encourage visitors to explore activities outside the park, according to Local media.
