Integrated resort to open in Lombok in 2015

The southern part of the hereto tranquil Indonesian island of Lombok is set to be developed into a major integrated resort from 2015.

The Mandalika Resorts Lombok, which will cover an area of 1,175 hectares, is part of a special economic territory program established to develop West Nusa Tenggara as a tourism hotspot.

Located 15 minutes away from Lombok's new international airport, the site is geared to become an event-based destination.

Bali Tourism Development Corp (BTDC), the state-owned company that manages Bali Nusa Dua area, has been appointed developer and manager of the site.

BTDC Director of Development, Edwin Darmasetiawan, explains "we want the resort to complement Bali instead of competing with it. Therefore, the product will be very different from Nusa Dua in terms of its type of attractions."

Facilities earmarked for the integrated resort include an F1 race track, an integrated theme park, an underwater marine museum, an eco park, meeting spaces and a concert hall. The developer also plans to invite Disney to "be a part of" the development.

17 major Indonesian companies including Lippo Group, MNC Group, Gobel International and Rajawali Group have signed MoUs with BTDC for various developments.

The BTDC is now finalising the environmental impact analysis, which is expected to be ready by June. The project's first phase, including road construction, hotel developments and an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course, will be completed within three to five years. More hotels and attractions will follow in the second stage.

Panorama Destination Managing Director, Rocky Praputranto fears that "the development will change Lombok, which is known as a tranquil, laid-back island. Do the people in Lombok, who are more conservative (than the Balinese), want this? Are they ready for the change?"