Jakarta (ANTARA) – Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated that the visitor quotas at Komodo National Park are being implemented to prevent overtourism, which could damage the environment.”Our decision to limit tourist quotas is based on research showing that long-term overtourism will lead to habitat degradation and the eventual loss of the site's tourism appeal,” he said in a statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday.Speaking during a meeting with the House of Representatives, he explained that the limitation is a strategic move to protect the park as a vital sanctuary for wildlife—particularly the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), which is endemic to Indonesia—and the local communities.The quota system will focus on three primary destinations: Padar Island, Rinca Island, and Komodo Island, including 23 surrounding dive sites.Starting from April 1, 2026, the visitor quota has been set at 1,000 people per day, or approximately 365,000 people per year.Antoni emphasized that the policy was taken with long, careful consideration since May 2025 through discussions with stakeholders and business players in Labuan Bajo.The minister added that this policy aligns with President Prabowo Subianto's directives to support ecotourism that preserves natural resources while positively impacting community welfare.During a working meeting on Wednesday (April 15), Deputy Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki noted that there are plans for the ex-situ conservation of Komodo dragons.”Moving forward, we plan to develop Komodo breeding programs outside of the National Park. This could serve as an alternative tourism destination for the public without disturbing their original habitat,” he remarked.The Komodo National Park recorded 429,509 visitors in 2025, with international tourists accounting for an average of 68 percent of the total.These figures have exceeded the park's carrying capacity for both land and water areas, which is capped at 366,108 visitors per year. This also surpasses the limit established in a 2022 study, which set the maximum capacity at 378,870 visitors per year.