The Labuan Bajo Flores Authority Implementing Agency (Badan Pelaksana Otorita Labuan Bajo Flores or BPOLBF) has launched a White Paper: a policy statement aimed at realising sustainable tourism in Labuan Bajo.
This White Paper marks a significant milestone in the development of the Labuan Bajo Flores area as an inclusive and sustainable super-priority tourism destination. It was developed through a collaborative process involving various stakeholders, including government agencies, cultural figures, tourism practitioners, and other related parties.
Acting President Director of BPOLBF, Frans Teguh, stated that the Labuan Bajo Tourism Development White Paper would serve as a guide, emphasising the importance of strengthening collaboration across stakeholders.
“This White Paper is expected to serve as a reference for policymaking on urgent strategic issues and concerns in the Labuan Bajo and Flores Super Priority Tourism Destination [Destinasi Pariwisata Super Prioritas or DPSP] area as a whole. It can provide guidance and act as a navigator in addressing challenges for the development of Labuan Bajo Flores tourism,” said Teguh in a statement to the press on Sunday, the 29th of September.
The White Paper outlines 10 strategic issues: Conservation & Sustainability; Spatial Planning & Landscape; Coastal & Marine; Society & Culture; Safety & Security; Human Resources & Institutions; Waste; Supply Chain; Infrastructure, and; Destination Management & Governance. This document serves to convey information and recommendations on tourism development issues and is a tangible result of in-depth discussions, studies, and consultations involving stakeholders from various sectors.
Chrispin Mesima, the Secretary of the West Manggarai Tourism which is a part of the Creative Economy and Culture Office (Dinas Pariwisata, Ekonomi Kreatif, dan Kebudayaan or Disparekrafbud) responded to the launch of the Labuan Bajo Tourism Development White Paper with the hope that it can answer strategic issues in developing Labuan Bajo tourism.
“This [White Paper] contains alternative policies that serve as a guide, in addition to being a document for planning [as well]. Hopefully, this policy brief will be a guideline for us in developing and answering strategic issues in Labuan Bajo,” added Mesima.