Lombok Tourism Hit Hard by Quake

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

A tourist area is deserted in the Senggigi Beach area, Batu Layar district, West Lombok regency, West Nusa Tenggara, Friday (24/8/2018). Most hotels, travel agents and services in the tourism sector stopped their activities after tourists stopped coming to the area following a series of earthquakes.

MATARAM, KOMPAS – Tourism in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara remains sluggish following a series of earthquakes that shook the island beginning on July 29. Tourism-related companies have lost billions of rupiah in potential income owing to the lack of tourists.  If no recovery efforts are immediately made, the local tourist industry may soon collapse.

The earthquakes affected tourism in almost all main tourist destinations in Lombok, such as in Gili Trawangan, Senggigi, Rinjani, and in the city of Mataram. Hotel occupancy rates have dropped sharply over the past three weeks on account of the lack of tourists. Incomes of the local tourism players, such as restaurants and small and medium business outlets, have also dropped significantly.