I went to Belitong Island at the beginning of this month and quite shocked. It’s just 5 years since my last visit. Although the scenery remains the same, the number of visitor multiplies. There are so many people that it’s confusing to stand. Whenever I stop, somebody will ask me to move because he/she wants to take pictures. Ugh, this is annoying.
The increasing number of tourist visit noted by Belitung Regency’s Central Statistic Agency: There are 17.211  visitors (foreign and domestic) stayed at star-rated hotels in the Belitung Islands in August 2018. The foreign tourists usually spend 3 days staying, while the domestic doesn’t take more than 2 days. There are actually not many to see there, but it’s close to Jakarta (and Singapore or Malaysia). The fare is relatively cheaper than Bali and you can visit everything in a weekend. No wonder the tourism development turns so rapid here. 

Although I’m happy that locals get participating in the island tourism, I’m feeling uncomfortable. Walking through divine scenery is a blessing, but if you have to do it while avoiding other people’s photography session it turns into torture. I think the island has become overcrowded and it decreasing my experience as a visitor.

Labuan Bajo also crowded!
Individual experience is an important assessment for the sustainability of a tourism activity. If an individual feels that tourism activities are satisfying or have a positive impact on him, then the activity will take place. This concept is called social carrying capacity. This concept focuses on tourist satisfaction so that it becomes a consideration in the management of ecotourism.

However, overcrowded is an experience that can result in stress. Hans Selye describes stress as a nonspecific response by the body to any demand placed on it (Finnicum & Zeiger, 1998). Stress can reduce satisfaction and what's the point of having a vacation if you just end up with more stress?

Frankly speaking, tourism management doesn't (or unable) to deal with the high amount of visitor. I've peeked into the national tourism development master plan. It states that we're leading sustainable development which beneficial to society, meaning we need to pay attention to the tourist spot's carrying capacity. But, look what happens today! It seems the operator only care about making money so they allow very large visitors to throng tourist destinations. The local government who hold the key to control this also seems like playing dumb, thinking these visits can benefit the local more. No no no! If the exploitation of natural tourist spot continues, we might not have any destination to go in the future.