Lombok's tourist industry takes another beating
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.