Mandalika: Eco-cultural Tourism in Lombok

Mandalika is a new eco-cultural tourism destination in Lombok, Indonesia. Often advertised as “the New Bali,” Lombok offers an ecological and eco-cultural response as a tourism destination, in contrast to Bali’s Nusa Dua resort hotels. On the basis of a phenomenological research method centered on the spirit of place, the Mandalika Resort Development Guidelines (RDGL) formed the framework for an ecological and eco-cultural response to resort development. To ensure sustainable eco-cultural development, the study identifies the tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Lombok as magnets of eco-cultural tourism. It is envisioned that an eco-resort that combines eco-social and ecological design attributes will serve as a meeting point for visitors, investors, and the local people. Designed to be in harmony with the environment, the proposed eco-cultural resort offers a potential refuge for local disaster mitigation. The RDGL were successfully completed and launched in 2019 and now serve as a framework for investors who plan to build tourist facilities, handicraft enterprises, and agricultural commodities in Lombok.