Aerial shot of Labuan Bajo. (Wikimedia)
On August 17, tourism services in Labuan Bajo, a famous tourism destination in Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara province, were continuing as normal following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, according to Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism and the Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority (BPOLBF).
Authorities are carrying out ongoing checks throughout the Floratama tourism area to determine whether tourist sites and supporting facilities have sustained damage, while also prioritising visitor safety and keeping travellers and tourism operators informed. The assessment is being conducted with local authorities, destination managers, tourism businesses, port and airport operators, as well as the Labuan Bajo Port Authority and Harbormaster Office (KSOP).The measures are part of a broader post-earthquake response coordinated by central and regional governments alongside the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
Labuan Bajo’s tourism activity remained steady. Marina Labuan Bajo Port, in particular, continued to handle tourist departures, with KSOP recording 308 boats carrying 3,651 passengers. Foreign travellers made up 2,840 of those passengers, while 811 were Indonesian tourists.
Air links have largely been maintained as well. The region’s main air hub, Komodo Airport, remains open and most scheduled services are operating, although flights to several airports in earthquake-hit parts of East Nusa Tenggara have been cancelled. Among them is Haji Hasan Aroeboesman Airport in Ende. BPOLBF said it would continue tracking both aviation and maritime operations to support tourist access.
Earlier on August 15, The earthquake struck at a depth of roughly 10 kilometres, triggering landslides and widespread damage across Flores. Sections of the Trans-Flores Highway were blocked, while more than 900 houses were destroyed and almost 450 damaged. About 5,000 people were evacuated to temporary shelters, and at least 167 public facilities, including schools, health centres and churches, were damaged. Many residents remained outside overnight due to fears of further tremors.
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