jailcd2020044: Townscape Transformation of Touristic Rural Labuan Bajo, Indonesia

Abstract

Soekarno Hatta, the main street in Labuan Bajo, is the only access to the port and is where most economic and tourism activities started. This street has transformed from a sandy coastline packed with stilted fishermen houses to reinforced concrete shops, dive centers and houses. This study will explain how far the townscape of Labuan Bajo has been rebooted in recent decades, in the main street of Soekarno Hatta in particular. In-depth interviews with residents living and working in Labuan Bajo were done with people of various backgrounds to gather different points of view. Illustrations of satellite image analysis were made to give a further understanding of the changes happening. Furthermore, this paper is a small part in the beginning of an ongoing research about the transformation of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.