Jetstar Asia will launch direct flights from Singapore to Labuan Bajo, a town in Indonesia considered the “gateway” to Komodo National Park, the company said.

The park, designated a UNESCO heritage site in 1991, is home to thousands of Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizard species, according to UNESCO.

Komodo National Park is the only place where these lizards are found in the wild, adding to the reptile’s mystique and, on rare occasions, Known to attack humans.

The park is spread across several Indonesian islands and is accessible by boat from Labuan Bajo.

Singapore-based low-cost airline Jetstar Asia said it will launch twice-weekly flights to Labuan Bajo on March 20. The airline will be the only airline operating the route.

“This is the first time Changi Airport has a direct connection to this amazing destination,” Lim Ching Kiat, Changi Airport Group’s executive vice president for aviation hub and cargo development, said in a press release announcing the new flights.

Popular with divers, Labuan Bajo is named One of the Ten New Bali Islands In 2016, the government plans to promote other destinations in Indonesia besides Bali.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the plan was scaled back to five new Bali islands, including Borobudur, Mandalika, Lake Toba, Likupang and Labuan Bajo.

The town has long been considered difficult to reach, with many international tourists choosing to explore the area by cruise ship. International flights to Labuan Bajo Airport (named “Komodo International Airport”) will begin in 2024 with the launch of AirAsia flights from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Jetstar Asia CEO John Simeone calls Labuan Bajo Indonesia’s “hidden gem” and “an incredible holiday hotspot”.

However, some conservation groups say the growth in tourism threatens the habitat of the Komodo dragons, which have been endangered since 2019, according to conservation groups. International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Komodo National Park officials are considering a plan to close the park regularly, for short periods of time this year – even as short as a day – to mitigate the negative impact of tourism and encourage visitors to explore activities outside the park, according to local sources. media.