LOVING LOMBOK
Australia comes to the aid of island’s tourist industry
To help with the continued growth and rebuilding of Lombok, the Australian consulate general in Mataram, Lombok Regency, West Nusatenggara (NTB) province, has launched the Island Tourism Forum (ITF).
It is expected that ties between Indonesia and Australia will be strengthened with the beginning of discussions regarding investment opportunities in the regency.
One of the main discussions is regarding how to help with rebuilding the tourist industry in Lombok following the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that hit the region last year. “We think it’s about time we held such a discussion to kick start initiatives and solutions in an effort to renew interest in local tourism in the regency,” said the Australian Consul General Helena Studdert. She also added that she expected the ITF to push for more partnerships between Australian businesses and the Indonesian government.