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Parapuar: Journey to the forest, creating a sense of adventure and hope
The allure of Labuan Bajo is gaining global recognition. The small town, once known as a supplier of dried fish to the mountainous regions in Manggarai Raya, is now gearing up to become a premier tourist destination in Indonesia and worldwide.
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he allure of Labuan Bajo is gaining global recognition. The small town, once known as a supplier of dried fish to the mountainous regions in Manggarai Raya, is now gearing up to become a premier tourist destination in Indonesia and worldwide. Labuan Bajo is a hidden gem with dozens of must-visit tourist destinations, offering a blend of natural beauty, rich marine life, hills and unique cultural experiences that attract travelers from around the world.
In support of the diverse needs of these explorers, the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority Implementing Body (BPOLBF) is accelerating the development of Labuan Bajo Flores tourism, including the construction of the Integrated Tourism Area under the responsibility of BPOLBF called Parapuar. This approximately 400-hectare area will be developed to become one of the integrated tourist destinations in Labuan Bajo by creating four zones with different atmospheres.
One of the zones to be built is the Adventure Zone or Adventure District. Under the theme Adventure in Nature Parapuar Labuan Bajo, this zone offers an experience for tourists who want to enjoy various recreational destinations, attractions and tourism accommodation with a focus on the uniqueness and diversity of adventurous experiences in nature.
The construction of adventure tourism facilities in this zone includes a bike zipline, a luge ride, elevated 360 cycling, a forest walk, a cable car, an inclinator and a viewpoint. Furthermore, the construction of adventure tourism facilities in this zone includes both play and circulation structures within the area, as well as viewpoints.
The CEO of BPOLBF, Shana Fatina, stated that development in Parpuar would be carried out with utmost caution so as not to alter the landscape but still provide an adventurous experience for tourists.
"Building tourism in Labuan Bajo requires careful consideration not to alter landscapes that can affect the local community's socioculture. The Attraction, Amenities and Accessibility approach takes precedence in the BPOLBF land development. New attractions (nature attractions; social attractions; cultural attractions; artificial attractions) need to be created to capture Labuan Bajo's potential as a highly attractive tourist destination," explained Shana.
This zone has the potential to complement Labuan Bajo's urban tourism package, which has been popular for hill tourism and various outdoor adventure activities. It offers an experience exploring tourist destinations that test adrenaline and offer uniqueness and new experiences. The availability of amenities with local entities integrated with nature will boost tourist appeal by providing uniqueness, and the key to this zone is the harmony of nature and the sociocultural community. This aligns with what the CEO of BPOLBF conveyed.
"The development of the zone is aimed at accommodating various recreational destinations, attractions and tourism accommodations created with unique character and experiences. Cultural character will highlight the uniqueness and diversity of Flores' culture, leisure and entertainment will provide tourist activities and entertainment, adventure will provide adventurous experiences in nature and wildlife to preserve the exoticism of wildlife," said Shana.
Furthermore, as part of a commitment to maintaining harmony with nature and safety in tourism, the operational activities and maintenance of adventure tourism facilities as tourist attractions in Parapuar refer to the seven adventure tourism safety codes issued by the Tourism Ministry in 2018. Additionally, the total land developed in this zone is 10.52 hectares out of a total area of 132.43 hectares, or about 7.94 percent of the total.
