LOMBOK’S star is on the ascent with new airlines launching flights to the island, and a slew of hotel and commercial developments to spring up over the coming years.
Hospitality investment firm Tourism Solutions International (TSI) has predicted that room inventory in Lombok will double to 4,500 rooms by 2022 with international developers leading the boom.
TSI noted that upscale accommodations that opened within the last two years have been able to achieve the average occupancy rates on the market fairly quickly without compromising RevPAR growth. International arrivals have grown over 140 per cent between 2012 and 2013, quoted TSI.
Northwest Lombok is expected to be the development hotspot over the next two to three years due to existing restaurants and other support businesses. It also boasts convenient proximity to the Gili Islands, Mount Rinjani and other attractions that make the area a viable tourist destination.
TSI also foresees the Gili Islands off northwest Lombok experiencing an increase in hotel product and the redevelopment of existing hotel stock.
Luxury Spirit Resort and Royal Kamuela Resort should open next year, while three older hotels on Mangsit beach have been sold and will be redeveloped into upscale properties. The former Santi Resort will be launched this year.
However, within the next 10 years, TSI anticipates that the southern Lombok area will surpass the northwest in number of new hotel rooms.
The Mandalika project has finally gotten off the ground (TTG Asia e-Daily, October 23, 2013) and south Lombok will see new hotels opening by 2018. The southern islands are also expected to be a significant draw for investors.
Meanwhile, a handful of Asia-Pacific airlines have launched Lombok services in recent times, including Jetstar (TTG Asia e-Daily, June 18, 2013) and Tigerair (TTG Asia e-Daily, Spetember 11, 2013).
