T

he West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial administration, through the NTB Tourism Promotion Board (BPPD), is aggressively promoting Lombok and Sumbawa’s tourism potential in Bali.

A meeting was held on Tuesday between tour operators in NTB and Bali in Sanur beach, Bali.

The meeting was attended by at least 17 merchants from Lombok and Sumbawa and 70 buyers from Bali comprising hotel owners and tour and travel agents.

NTB BPPD head Awana Aswinbawa said NTB was taking proactive steps to promote its tourism potential.

“The event is expected to facilitate joint relations with tour operators in Bali, such as by exchanging information on tourism potentials in Lombok and Sumbawa,” he said.

Awana said the tourism potential in Lombok and Sumbawa was very promising, from the beautiful beaches in Senggigi, Gili Trawangan and Kuta to the natural beauty and adventure of Mount Rinjani. However, he added, promotional campaigns should be continued so tourists would be aware of the attractions.

According to him, NTB BPPD will conduct promotion campaigns in a number of major cities such as Balikpapan, Yogyakarta, Bandung and Jakarta.

The meeting was expected to yield many transactions that could be realized next year.

The Bali chapter of the Indonesian Tour and Travel Agents Association (ASITA), Aloysius Purwa, responded positively to the meeting of tour operators organized by NTB BPPD.

“This is an effective promotional effort because every tour operator can meet and exchange information,” he said.

He acknowledged that the tourism potential on Lombok and Sumbawa was still pristine and desirable to visitors, but he hoped NTB, particularly Lombok, would not promote itself as the “Second Bali”. “NTB, or Lombok in particular, must no longer promote itself as the second Bali, but it should have its own character and advantages unique from Bali,” he said.

According to Purwa, the support given by the NTB administration in developing tourism can serve as an example for Bali, which lacks a BPPD as in NTB.

Purwa said tourism was part of a strategic sector that had significant multiplier effects for economic growth, so NTB should organize the sector wisely.

“NTB has Mt. Rinjani trekking and Gili Trawangan adventures that Bali doesn’t have. These can be promoted as special icons. The term of ‘Lombok, the second Bali’ should no longer be used,” he said.

Purwa added that Bali was home to more than 350 travel agencies affiliated with ASITA. Its tourist arrivals last year stood at 2.2 million visitors and the figure was projected to rise this year to 2.7 million.

Mesti Orienta Tours and Travel Bali director I Ketut Teja said Lombok had a lot of potential, especially to tourists from Europe.

This is evident from the huge number of tourists from Europe who spend between two and three days in Lombok of their typical two-week vacations in Bali. “Lombok is quite famous, especially for its beaches in the south of Kuta, Tanjung A’an and the Sasak traditional village in Bayan,” he said.