Lombok aims for tourists to return as it begins post earthquake recovery

Following the recent string of devastating earthquakes, Indonesian tourism authorities and operators are looking to win back confidence from foreign visitors, highlighting that most parts of the popular tourist island remain are undamaged.

Indonesia President Joko Widodo has issued a number of directives to accelerate reconstruction and rehabilitation of public facilities and infrastructure, housing, social and health services, and economy in Lombok. Authorities are also looking to ensure see that safety and security, as well as public and government services resume normalcy.

President Widodo has also set a target that facilities for education, health, religious and economic activities to be ready by no later than December this year, with other facilities expected to be rebuilt by December 2019.

As trported by TTG Asia, the Government has also announced a two-pronged strategy for the tourism sector, which will be led by the West Nusa Tenggara tourism office with supervision from the Ministry of Tourism.

The first covers destination rehabilitation, particularly in the areas directly affected by the disaster including the Gili islands, Senggigi and Senaruand Sembalun.

The second is a promotional strategy to be will be focused on areas which are not affected by the earthquakes, such as Mataram, Sekotong, Mandalika and Tetebatu.

Fauzan Zakaria, head of West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Promotion Board, explained “the recovery programmes will not solely involve one stakeholder but everyone. The Public Works Agency will rehabilitate and re-establish tourist destinations and attractions, fixing broken infrastructure in these areas, for example.

“Airlines, hotels and other tourism stakeholders will do their part in launching promotions to limit cancellations and build traveller confidence to visit Lombok again.”

Lalu Abdul Hadi Faishal, Chairman of Indonesia Hotel and Restaurant Association West Nusa Tenggara Chapter, also advised “on the hotel side, one of the promotional efforts we have launched is to roll out deals where members get one night free with a three-night stay. This is valid until the end of the year.”

Faishal said such efforts are intended to show that the hotels in Lombok remain intact, adding “there are 83 hotels in Lombok of three-star and above categories, and 763 non-star properties.

“According to data, only 25 hotels suffered some damages of varying degrees, but none of them collapsed. The rest are intact.”

Fauzan added that these promotions are also key in sending the message to travellers that only some parts of Lombok was affected, as many other tourist areas remain safe for visits.

He concluded “although there are some cancellations, we continue to see arrivals to Lombok. It shows that (well-informed) travellers continue to come.”

Images: Lombok's popular Gili Islands.