Investments to Parapuar Labuan Bajo continues to progress

Acting Labuan Bajo Flores Tourism Authority (BPOLBF) President Director Frans Teguh said that development of the Parapuar Labuan Bajo integrated tourism area continues to progress with several investors having committed to invest.

"Eiger's commitment in October 2025 is to launch the construction, arrangement, or provision of Eiger Store and Coffee Shop facilities. Another on the list [of investors who have committed to invest include] Dusit Group. As I said at our last meeting, it is still in progress," he said in Labuan Bajo Subdistrict, Komodo District, West Manggari Regency East Nusa Tenggara Province on Apr. 29, 2025.

PT Eigerindo Multi Produk Industri (Eiger) has already invested US$1.2 million in Parapuar, while Dusit Thani Public Company Limited (Dusit International) spent US$15 million in the integrated tourism area's lot 1.6 to construct a hotel.

Frans added that BPOLBF continues to explore further investment commitments, revealing there are currently five to six investors who are committed to investing in Parapuar.

"My point is that it is not easy [to realize investments]. But, we are optimistic, with 129.6 hectares (ha) of clean and clear land for investment and a master plan that has been improved, that the 19 lots we offer to investors could have [their development] realized quickly," he explained.

Frans also said that BPOLBF continues to accelerate the completion of roads to access Parapuar by a range of 200 meters, as well as speed up to finish the tourism area's water and electricity networks.

"I admit the completion [of the requisite infrastructure] took a bit long because of the weather and several technical matters. This [infrastructure] is also a prerequisite for several investors who have committed to accelerating the development of their [investment] commitments in the MoU (memorandum of understanding)," he divulged.

In developing Parapuar, Frans said, BPOLBF has been very selective in approving investors because investments to the integrated tourism area must be in line with sustainable tourism principles and improve local community welfare.

Of the total area that BPOLBF was granted land management rights (HPL) on, which spans about 129.6 ha, only 20 percent of will be developed. Said land will be developed into four zones, namely the cultural, leisure, wildlife, and adventure zones. The remaining 80 percent of the land will remain as a natural forest area.

"This is very important as part of our work for Parapuar to remain green, and as that is also our duty thus the issue of conservation remains our concern," Frans elaborated.

Maintaining Parapuar to support the sustainability of Bowosie Forest, he said, is key for the forest to retain its status as a unique tourism destination in Labuan Bajo.

"The Bowosie forest has always been a production forest, and the concept that we continue to push is building in the forest - this is the differentiating element between Parapuar and other areas in Labuan Bajo that we will develop in the future," he said.