Tourism Office Responds to Rise in Illegal Levies at Central Lombok Attractions
The Head of the Central Lombok Tourism Office, Lalu Muhammad Hatta, has responded to the growing issue of illegal levies (pungli) occurring at several of the region’s flagship tourist attractions. He stated that his office has undertaken various efforts to resolve the matter.
Allegations of illegal levies have recently resurfaced at several destinations in Central Lombok, including Bukit Seger in Kuta Village, Pujut District, and the Benang Kelambu Nature Tourism site in Aik Berik Village, North Batukliang District. Tourists have complained that the fees being charged do not follow official procedures.
“Regarding the incident at Benang Kelambu, the Central Lombok Tourism Office has coordinated with the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Provincial Environmental and Forestry Service (DLHK),” Hatta told detikBali on Monday (21/9/2026) via telephone.
Hatta explained that this coordination is necessary because the land status of the Benang Kelambu and Benang Stokel nature tourism sites falls under the authority of the NTB Provincial Government. However, management is carried out by Forest Farmer Groups (KTH) and an Association of Forest Farmer Groups (Gapoktan) through social forestry schemes, such as Community Forests (HKm) and People’s Plantation Forests (HTR).
“Currently, the area is managed by the Gapoktan present in that region. Consequently, we do not have the authority to implement regulations,” he said.
Given this land status, Hatta noted that the Central Lombok Tourism Office has limited direct control. A similar situation exists at the Bukit Seger destination, where the land status remains unclear due to conflicting information.
“It is the same with Bukit Seger. The status is also unclear. Therefore, we are continuously coordinating with the NTB Provincial Government to align our perceptions and actions,” he added.
He suggested that these incidents should serve as a momentum to implement the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Regulation (Perda) Number 3 of 2025 concerning Tourism Implementation. This regulation comprehensively covers tourism destinations, the tourism industry, marketing, institutional frameworks, the creation of a conducive investment ecosystem, community participation, and financing.
“The regulation is already in place. It is now time for the Provincial Government to enforce it,” he emphasised.
Hatta stated that the issue of illegal levies cannot be placed solely on the Tourism Office. He noted that this problem must be addressed through collective, cross-sectoral efforts to prevent the contamination of Lombok’s tourism reputation.
“That is why we are coordinating with all parties, to ensure we are unified in our approach,” he concluded.
Previously, a video of a tourist complaining about a management system suspected of being a ‘nest’ for illegal levies at the Benang Kelambu destination went viral on social media. The tourist complained about numerous additional fees required for using toilets and accessing photo spots.
The video was uploaded by the Instagram account @antohoji. In the footage, the tourist questioned a payment system that requires visitors to pay again after having already purchased an entrance ticket. The visitor expressed hope that the payment system could be simplified so that visitors only need to pay a single entrance fee at the start.
The tourist also showed several officers stationed at facilities that were reportedly charging extra. These officers appeared to be present at the locations to collect payments from visitors intending to use the toilets or take photos at specific spots.
“You pay again for the toilet, and you pay again for the view here for photos,” the tourist complained in the video, as reported by detikBali on Wednesday (16/9/2026).