The Centrepiece of Lombok Development
The Mandalika Project covers 1,175 hectares of coastal land in Kuta, South Lombok, and will, when complete, be home to more than 16,000 hotel rooms, a waterpark, a 27-hole golf course, 1,500 villas, and an international-standard motor-racing circuit. The estimated cost of the venture is believed to exceed US$3 billion. Backed by the Indonesian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), the special economic zone will feature major international chain resorts, including Pullman, Paramount, Club Med, Royal Tulip, and Grand Mercure Hotel. As well as seeking to attract more tourists in general to the island, the project also promises to be an ecotourism hotspot. Solar power, a water desalination plant, and a promise to retain 51 percent of the area as open green space are all part of the plan to protect the region’s natural beauty and enhance local culture. Mandalika is not only the largest project of its kind in South East Asia, but also the centrepiece of the Government’s plan to develop a tourism model in Lombok that is akin to Bali. |