Lombok's tourist industry takes another beating

Wahyuni Kamah, Contributor, Senggigi, Lombok

There are about 10 tourists at the shuttle bus stop in Padangbai harbor, Bali, taking a few refreshments as they wait for the ferry to Lombok.

Most of them are Europeans, and they appear to be "real" travelers, people who would not care too much about the possible ramifications of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks or the anti-U.S. rallies in Indonesia.

"Are we the only crazy tourists visiting Lombok?" asked a Norwegian tourist. She and her friend were aware of the threat of a "sweep" of foreigners amid anger against the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan, but they came anyway.

"We are not Americans," they argued. After two weeks in Bali, they were on their way to Gili Trawangan, the tiny island off Lombok that has become famous as a tourist resort.

Others have not been so carefree.

"No (tour) guests from the U.S. or the UK have come to stay with us since the WTC bombing," said Lanang Surya from the sales department of Senggigi Beach Hotel.

Lanang said his hotel now relied mainly on the domestic market. There has been a 25 percent drop in the occupancy as most groups from Europe that had already booked rooms canceled their trips to Indonesia.

And he predicted a 30 percent to 35 percent drop in occupancy for November because of more cancellations.

"We have even lost our Australian market since the rumors about sweeps against foreigners," he said.

The plunge in the number of travelers to Lombok is obvious in Senggigi, one of the most popular tourist spots on the island. Driving through Senggigi at dusk in the weeks after the almost daily anti-U.S. rallies in Jakarta was like passing through a tourist ghost town.

"Senggigi is usually quiet, as you can see, but now it is much quieter," said Lanang.

The lack of tourists in Lombok has not only hit the hotel and restaurant business, but also the low-income vendors that offer their goods on the beach.

"There are no buyers and we cannot sell our goods," said a souvenir vendor who usually hawks on Senggigi Beach.

However, in terms of the number of visitors, some people in Senggigi think things are still better than two years ago when a religious riot struck Lombok and tourists canceled in droves.

"Because of the riot in 1999, Senggigi suffered severely for more than six months as hotels didn't have any guests at all," said Saiful, a beach hotel security guard.

"The people of Lombok have learned much from the 1999 riot when we lost a lot of business," he said, adding that people in Senggigi depend on the tourist industry for their living.

The lack of tourists has hit other businesses, too.

"Business has been bad. No guests have visited my gallery since the Sept. 11 attack on the WTC," said Herry, the owner of Pamour Gallery in South Senggigi. "If Bali has few tourists, Lombok will get even fewer since tourists in Lombok are mainly from Bali."

On the main road in Senggigi, where some galleries and tour operators are situated, few tourists are seen. "Only a few foreign tourists stop over in Senggigi now," an employee of Perama shuttle bus operator in Senggigi said.

"They only stay here one night and then go to the Gilis, where they stay longer," she said.

The bus from Bangsal -- a small harbor that connects the Gilis and Lombok -- was filled with tourists returning from Gili Trawangan, but only four backpackers got on the bus in Senggigi, headed back to Bali.

"After the WTC attack there were still some tourists that came here. However, following rumors of a sweep against foreigners, their number has dropped. The bus from Bali is often not full," the shuttle bus operator added.