REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG -- The Ministry of Tourism has designated the Komodo Island, located in West Manggarai district, East Nusa Tenggara province, as an international tourist destination, starting this year.

"The strategic plan of the National Tourism Sector mentions projecting the Komodo Island as an international tourist destination," the Deputy Assistant of Tourism Industry, the Ministry of Tourism, Agus Priyono, said in a statement received here on Friday.

He said the Tourism Ministry is now building roads, airports and a yacht dock around the Komodo Island for granting better access to tourists visiting this place.

The yacht dock construction was in line with the national target to invite 6,000 yachters and 20 million tourists by 2019. It is expected to bring in foreign exchange worth Rp6 trillion," Agus noted.

"Our maritime sectors not only are special but have a massive potential as they are the best in the world. We should build supporting facilities such as transportation and telecommunications," he said.

According to Agus, the focus on the construction of infrastructure projects in the Komodo Island does not mean other areas in East Nusa Tenggara will be neglected. There are other interesting attractions such as Lake Kelimutu in Ende, and the beautiful sea panorama in Alor.

"Komodo is the gateway for domestic and foreign tourists to reach other destinations in East Nusa Tenggara," he said.

Komodo Island has the Komodo National Park which covers the entire region and contains more than 4,000 komodo dragons.

The morphology comprises features such as rusty-red volcanic hills, savannah and forests. Its surrounding waters of sea grass beds, mangrove shrub lands and coral reefs are famous for diving.

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