Lombok Island, a jewel situated within Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara province, has achieved a remarkable and highly visible breakthrough in global tourism recognition. The island recently secured the highly coveted second position in the ranking of Asia’s best islands, according to the prestigious Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards 2025. This stellar achievement was solidified by an impressive evaluation score of 94.86 points. This result signifies a massive leap forward when compared to its performance just last year, demonstrating rapid growth in visitor satisfaction and appeal. In 2024, Lombok was ranked tenth overall, achieving a score of 90.41 points. This significant rise into the top tier is particularly meaningful as the rankings are compiled directly from the opinions and extensive feedback gathered from more than 757,000 readers of the internationally respected publication.
Ahmad Nur Aulia, the Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Office, was quick to attribute this monumental success to the highly coordinated, region-wide efforts involving local government, businesses, and community stakeholders. He emphasized that this victory provides a powerful and necessary impetus for continuously elevating the standards of hospitality, service quality, and infrastructure across the entire island. The industry’s primary strategic objective is now firmly focused on delivering a more profound, immersive, and authentic experience to visitors—one that truly encapsulates the unique natural beauty and cultural character of Lombok. This Indonesian success story was further highlighted by neighboring Bali, which secured the absolute top spot in the related Asia-Pacific category with an outstanding score of 96.86 points, collectively cementing Indonesia’s dominant position in regional tourism.
Lombok’s impressive climb, which saw it decisively surpass several globally recognized destinations, including Thailand’s Phuket (which ranked 8th) and Samui (which ranked 9th), is certainly not a matter of chance. This high-profile achievement is a direct and measurable consequence of focused strategic development, particularly the Indonesian government’s ambitious "Ten New Balis" initiative. This national program aims to diversify the country’s tourism offerings and spread economic benefits. A cornerstone of this comprehensive development strategy is the creation and ongoing expansion of the Mandalika Special Economic Zone (SEZ), designed to be a model for future sustainable tourism.
The development blueprint for Mandalika, which encompasses a stunning 16-kilometer stretch of pristine white sand coastline, was meticulously conceptualized around stringent ecotourism principles from its inception. The entire project places a paramount emphasis on sustainable growth and environmental stewardship. Key elements underscoring this commitment include the utilization of clean solar energy sources to power operations and the dedicated preservation of over 51% of the total area as protected green space. This holistic approach ensures that necessary economic expansion and infrastructure development proceed without compromising the region's crucial environmental integrity or natural appeal.
Furthermore, significant investments in enhanced infrastructure, most notably the crucial expansion and modernization of the international airport, have dramatically improved the island’s accessibility for both domestic and international discerning travelers. This recent international triumph is expected to unlock substantial new avenues for attracting crucial foreign and domestic investment into the region, providing capital for further sustainable development. Ultimately, this prestigious recognition solidifies Lombok’s burgeoning reputation as a premier global destination dedicated to achieving a harmonious and delicate balance between robust economic growth and the careful preservation of its unique cultural identity and invaluable natural environment for generations to come.