Long viewed as Gili Trawangan’s little brothers, there’s evidence that Gili Air and Gili Meno are becoming a force to be reckoned with in tourism. By Mimi Hudoyo
Gili Trawangan, one of the islands north-west of Lombok, has successfully transformed itself from a backpacker paradise into an upscale tourist destination, spurring neighbouring Gili Air and Gili Meno (the trio makes up the three Gilis) to play catch up in infrastructure development and attract more tourist footfalls.
Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks, observed: “Destination fatigue (of Bali), urbanisation and a change in travellers tastes towards more natural locations are spurring the move.
“We have seen a similar pattern in Phuket, where a growing number of return visitors are heading to Khao Lak and islands in Phang Nga Bay to seek out a less-crowded beach-oriented holiday.”
In an October 2016 report, C9 Hotelworks recorded 675 registered accommodation establishments in Gili Trawangan, 321 in Gili Air and 82 in Gili Meno.
There are nine confirmed hotels totalling 278 keys in the pipeline, although these premium projects are not expected to affect the boutique nature of the three Gilis.
Barnett also noted that development is shifting from Gili Trawangan to Gili Meno and Gili Air. Gili Meno, the smallest island, is emerging into an upscale destination with the entry of larger-scale, international-standard hotels.
“Here, a new generation of posh offerings are newly-opened or under development. One notable project that is capturing overseas interest is Australian entrepreneur Greg Meyer’s upcoming Bask Gili Meno, which has been designed by noted architect Gary Fell,” Barnett said.
“Gili Trawangan has become too crowded for some travellers, so they look for a quieter destinations like Gili Air and Gili Meno,” said Andhy Irawan, managing director of Dafam Hotel Management, which soft-opened the Mola2 Resort Gili Air Lombok last year. The property currently offers 20 rooms but will feature 48 rooms when fully launched in July.
Confident of Gili Air’s future prospects, he commented: We have been running on very high occupancy since our trial last August, even before we uploaded the hotel information on our website. The number of walk-in guests has been overwhelming.”
Hotel developments aside, accessibility is also improving on the Gili islands.
While the Gilis were dominated by Australians and Europeans, the islands are gaining popularity with regional markets such as Malaysia and Singapore, thanks to the growing air links from both countries as well as from across Indonesia, said Awan Aswinabawa, managing director of A&T Holidays.
Fast boat links have been vital in liking Bali to the Gilis. Said Awan: “The many fast boats – between 10 and 12 times daily, and can double during peak seasons – operating from (Padang Bai Port) direct to Gili Trawangan make it easy for travellers to visit the Gilis from Bali.”
Furthermore, two new fast boats with capacities of 180 and 120 pax are currently being built and will increase transportation capacity significantly when launched.
Following a boat explosion last September, travel companies have become more selective with the the fast boat companies they work with and use only those with reliable insurance, according to Iwan Sitompul, marketing consultant for Mahamaya Boutique Resort on Gili Meno.
As well, he shared that Bali travel agents are concerned with new government regulations requiring all fast boats to stop at Bangsal port in West Lombok instead of going direct to the Gilis, adding at least 20 minutes to the trips.
Overall, the trade is sanguine over Gili’s future prospects. “While the Bali connection remains key to current trading levels, longer-term C9 is eyeing an expected rise in direct international flights to Lombok which will in the medium- to long-term become a game-changer for access to the Gilis and create a strong underlying fundamental for sustainable growth,” Barnett concluded.
This article was first published in TTG Asia March 2017 issue. To read more, please view our digital edition or click here to subscribe.
