Indonesia's Ministry of Tourism is promoting Camino de Flores: The Sacred Journey of Flores, a new walking pilgrimage on the island of Flores. The initiative aims to connect religious sites, traditional villages, cultural heritage, and natural landscapes, while distributing tourism benefits more widely and supporting community recovery after an earthquake.
Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana presented the initiative in Jakarta on Tuesday, 13 October, describing it as a new travel pattern to extend tourism beyond Labuan Bajo. The first pilot journey is scheduled for 23–27 October 2026, covering approximately 70 kilometres from Bajawa through Boawae to Ende, with around 70 participants from charitable communities.
The pilgrimage draws inspiration from the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Mari Elka Pangestu, the initiative's originator, said Flores offers an opportunity to develop a pilgrimage combining spirituality, nature, and community empowerment, encouraging visitors to stay longer and enabling economic benefits to reach villages along the route.
Fr. Marco Solo Kewuta, an official of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican, welcomed the initiative but cautioned that economic opportunities should not overshadow its spiritual purpose. He stressed that participants need preparation to respect local rituals and traditions, and that the sacred character of the journey must not lose its meaning.
For travellers, this new route offers a chance to explore Flores beyond its main gateway, visiting rural villages and religious sites while engaging with local communities. The pilgrimage aims to provide a meaningful encounter with faith and culture, though visitors should be mindful of the region's poverty and the importance of preserving sacred traditions.
