INDONESIA
Lombok eyes 2012
He speaks fluently English and Arabic and his clear way of talking makes a difference with some other Indonesians, rather shy when they have to speak in public. Muhammad Zainul Majdi is the current Governor of West Nusa Tenggara and belongs to this new generation of Indonesian politicians who start to give a new impetus to the World’s biggest archipelago. One of Majdi’s objectives is to turn Lombok into a major tourism destination, emulating Bali, its Western neighbour just 90 minutes away by high speed-boat. Lombok has been so far protected from massive tourism development.
But the Muslim-dominant Island has very big ambitions and feels that it has many assets. “We like to say that you can see Bali in Lombok but you cannot see Lombok in Bali”, likes to say the Governor, referring to the cultural diversity on the Island where local Sasak people cohabits since the dawn of age with Balinese communities. Lombok is indeed an interesting mix of culture where Sasak traditional villages are facing Balinese temples and where some local Muslims are praying indifferently in mosques or temples…
Lombok emergence as a tourism destination will be stimulated by the organization of a “Visit Year Lombok-Sumbawa”- due to come in 2012. Promotion just started with the hosting of TIME-Pasar Wisata, Indonesia’s professional incoming travel show, last October. This is the first time ever that Lombok is hosting an international event from this size and we are very happy about the outcome of the show as delegates seem very happy with this choice. We know that we make some mistakes but we will learn for the next edition of Pasar Wisata in 2010,” said Majdi. For the show hosting, the provincial government has given away INR 5 billion, the equivalent of US$ 532,000.
The objective is to boost over the next five years total arrivals from 250,000 to 450,000 foreign travelers. With domestic travelers, NTB hopes to be able then to welcome some 1.3 million visitors in a year. This will be a far outcry from Bali’s own tourist arrivals (over three million per year currently for both domestic and international travelers) but it still means a growth of over 20% per year over the next decade. More advertising, participation at international travel shows such as ITB are now firmly planned.
Major projects should boost arrivals to Lombok over the years to come: the development of a fully integrated resort area in the South of Lombok and the opening of a new airport in Central Lombok, 45 minutes away from the capital city Mataram. The first project was announced two years ago with Dubai-based investor Emaar Properties announcing to invest US$ 600 million to invest into five- and four-star hotels, a shopping mall, recreation areas, golf courses on a 1,200 hectare site. The final project is targeted to host 10,000 luxury villas, eight hotels and two 18-hole golf courses but it faced numerous delays due to the financial crisis, corruption problems and a lack of improvement in infrastructure. The project study has been extended by six months until year-end.
Development is however more advanced for the airport. According to the airport’s managing company Angkasa Pura, new Lombok International Airport should be finished by the first quarter of 2010 but it looks already that the facility will open later in the year as work is still going on the control tower. Once the first phase completed, the new airport will offer capacity for two million passengers while its 2,750 m runway will be able to take large aircraft such as the Airbus A330. “ We will then target new markets such as Australia or Hong Kong. Improving access is essential for our future” tells Lalu Gita Ariadi, Head of West Nusa Tenggara office of tourism. Another important project is the construction of a proper convention center with an investor from Singapore already showing interest.
Local authorities remain however optimistic about the future of the island as a destination. “Lombok gains increasingly fame among foreign travelers. We do still have some problems to find human resources matching international tourists’ expectations. But the future mega- resort in the South will contribute to improve sharply manpower quality,” estimates Awan Aswinabawa, Chairman of the Travel Expo Pasar Wisata. Progress will definitely be judged with the next hosting of Pasar Wisata in October 2010.
Comments
Mr Johnson, I have just come across your comments regarding the article on Lombok written by my collegue.
I give you the privilege of my precious time by replying to what I consider a very rude remark on somebody's article without knowing the backgroung of the author.
For the sake of justification of my intervention I can confirm that whatever written by my collegue matches the reality, as I was also in Lombok attending the same travel show.
Trusting that this can be a piece of advice on your future behaviour on a similar matter I would suggest you to be more balanced since your critic seems to be made on pure speculation. It would then be interesing to know how you qualify yourself as you want to show off your deep knowledge on Lombok, Bali and Sasax people.
Best regards,
Mr. Luc
I appreciate your response. Please do not interpret my comments as despising. I spent most of my younger years as a civil engineer working on big projects. I also have lived in Lombok for 10 years, married a local wife, and converted to Islam.
My comments, while terse, are engineering and sociological judgments based on experience, not prejudice. Indeed, the Sasak people are extremely friendly and likable people.
The terminal has been a concrete shell for more than a year. Converting that skeleton of a structure into a functioning terminal will require everything from basic plumbing and electricity to a complex computer system. To bring this airport into operation would require 2 years using skilled/experienced workmen (not available locally).
As for the business acumen and Sasak work ethic, ask yourself where are the factories for semi-skilled workers? The labor pool is plentiful and cheap yet not one foreign investor will start a factory to mass produce garments. Most workers quickly leave when faced with hard work.
Virtually every business with more than 5 employees is owned by Balinese, Peranakan Chinese, or foreigners. The Sasak will only open family owned and operated businesses.
Everyone knows that Java and Bali has a pool of trained, English-speaking, and workers who have tourism skills. Even now a large number of workers in the greater Senggigi area are transplants from other islands. Gili Trawangan is controlled in a mafia-style by Europeans who own virtually large every business and bar on the island.
I fear for the Sasak people. While their governor joyfully speaks of increased tourism, he has no idea of the devastating impact it will have on the Sasak people. If allowed to gradually adjust over several generalizations to a slow influx of tourists, the Sasak might be able to survive.
But big projects like the airport and Emaar, built in rural areas, will not give most of the population time to adjust. Lombok will be a prototypical example of non-sustainable tourism.
Let us hope the Indonesian government learns that robust tourism in primitive islands is genocide for the indigenous people.
Dear M. Johnson,
I generally do not answer to comment but your writing needs clarification:
- I visited in details the new airport, a Sasak village dedicated to tourism, hoteliers in Southern Lombok as well as infrastructures in Mataram dedicated to tourism such as the handicraft center. The airport is indeed behind schedule but the terminal superstructure is achieved. I am sure that it will open by the autumn of next year. It is a very mportant project for Lombok future and especially future investments in Southern Lombok.
There is a definitive commitment to tourism development. I can acknowledge that infrastructures are far behind the ones exiting in Bali but Lombok is seriously working to improve everything, from garbage collection - a huge problem I admit as many areas are still not up to Western standards- to signage and new attractions.
Your description of Sasak people as lazy and not willing to speak English or work is unfounded. I went out at night, talk to locals, visited to small restaurants - not in hotels- met local people who even gave me a ride to my hotel at night. They all made an effort to speak English despite the obvious lack of proper education facilities and were very helpful.
I personally find your description of Sasak very basic if not despising. Give them some time and even help them to improve themselves if you do not find Lombok up to your standards...
Thanks for your interest for this article.
Who writes this crap? They read and believe everything that a politician says, but don't ever get out of the hotel long enough to look around.
I was at the airport yesterday. The terminal is still raw concrete. It is three years away from being ready for commercial use. And where will these 1/2 million visitor stay? This last August, every hotel in Lombok was full. The number of hotels isn't going to double in a year! Emaar is a pipe dream. It's been canceled by the Arabs until the recession is over.
Nobody on Lombok knows anything about tourism - and they don't ask for help. All "promote tourism" managers are political appointees with no training. They never ask anyone (especially foreigners) how to improve the desirability of Lombok.
The Balinese people are of a whole different mind set - they know business. The local Sasak are lazy and don't want to work, or learn English, or do much of anything else.
This reporter needs to do a little leg work before he writes his story!
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