Lack of flights and infrastructure hamper Lombok tourism: Agency
Lack of flights and infrastructure hamper Lombok tourism: Agency
I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Senggigi, Lombok
Lack of direct international flights and poor infrastructure have
stifled tourism in Lombok, a small island just east of Bali in
West Nusa Tenggara, an official says.
"The island has many things to offer to foreign visitors, but
without the availability of international direct flights to
Lombok, most potential visitors will travel to other destinations
instead," head of the West Lombok Tourism Agency Tjok Suthendra
said on the sidelines of the Senggigi Festival's closing ceremony
over the weekend.
The seven day-festival showcased over 35 performances and
cultural events, and was aimed at bolstering the image of Lombok
as a safe and attractive tourist destination.
Silk Air, the only international airline that flies to Lombok
from its Singapore home base, cut back its flights from six to
four times a week.
With between 70 and 80 percent of its foreign visitors
starting their holidays in Bali, Lombok's tourism industry is at
the mercy of domestic airlines plying the Bali-Lombok route.
Merpati Air, with the most Bali-Lombok direct flights, flies
the route with its aging Fokker 27 propeller-driven planes, thus
putting off many potential passengers hoping for the level of
service and comfort offered on wide-body, newer aircraft.
"Another problem is the limited capacity of our Selaparang
airport. The Boeing 737-400 is the biggest aircraft the airport's
runway can handle," he said.
Despite the fact that the local government acquired 600
hectares of land needed for expansion, a plan to enlarge the
airport and to upgrade its facilities has been shelved since the
economic crisis hit the country in 1997.
Another major obstacle for tourism development concerns
Lombok's infrastructure.
"There are 15 designated tourist destinations in West Nusa
Tenggara, most of which still have infrastructure problems,
particularly concerning electricity and clean water supply as
well as telephone lines," Suthendra said.
In Lombok, the lack of infrastructure has resulted in tragic
losses, as evidenced by the case of Bangko-bangko, a surfing
beach some 71 kilometers southwest of the island's capital of
Mataram.
"The condition of the main road connecting Mataram with
Bangko-bangko is generally good, except for the last two
kilometers of the road, which is in a terrible and dangerous
state, to the point that tourists just won't take it," he said.
The beach averages about 40 visits a day by foreign
surfers/tourists. Most of surfers agree that Bangko-bangko is a
unique surf beach with seriously excellent wave activity
happening.
"Unfortunately, the infrastructure around the beach is lacking
or nonexistent, so the surfers opt to stay on Bali's Nusa
Lembongan island, and my Balinese tour agency colleagues in Bali
sell the surfing experience of Bangko-bangko for US$300 per
person/day, they cruise over by boat and stay all day, but we
here in Lombok only get the empty beer cans and other trash,
literally, to take care of," he said.
Suthendra believed that if the local government could overcome
those two obstacles Lombok could become one of the most
attractive tourist destinations in Indonesia.
"Lombok's finest tourism asset is her natural beauty, and,
since it is a relatively small island, the visitors do not have
to travel far to enjoy both the natural charm of our unspoiled
beaches and the scenic beauty of our lush tropical forests and
mountains," he declared.
Some 190,000 tourists visited West Lombok in the year 2000.
The number increased to 196,000 in 2001 before the Bali bombings
took its toll in October 2002, after which the number fell to
156,000 people for the year. As of June 2003, the number had only
reached a paltry 55,000 people.
"I don't think we will be able to reach the 2002 figure, but,
considering the bombings, Iraq war and SARS, I believe that we
have made some improvements," Suthendra said.