Lombok Tourism in Numbers: What the Official Data Actually Shows

Lombok Tourism in Numbers: What the Official Data Actually Shows

Lombok is growing — but how fast, and what does it mean for someone considering an investment? This article uses only verified, publicly available data from official Indonesian government sources to paint an honest picture of where Lombok's tourism market stands today.

No projections. No hype. Just the numbers.

Indonesia's Tourism Recovery: The National Picture

Indonesia's post-pandemic tourism recovery has been one of the strongest in Southeast Asia. The trajectory is clear and accelerating.

Sources: BPS (Statistics Indonesia); ANTARA News Agency citing Tourism Ministry data (Feb 2026)

The government's 2026 target is 16–17.6 million international visitors. Based on the January–April pace, Indonesia is on track to surpass 2019's all-time record.

Average foreign tourist spending reached US$1,267 per visit in 2025, exceeding the government target of US$1,220. Total tourism foreign exchange earnings hit US$18.91 billion in 2025 — a 13.17% increase over 2024.

Bali vs Lombok: Scale and Growth

Bali remains Indonesia's dominant tourism gateway, capturing over 60% of all international arrivals. But the growth rates tell a different story.

Sources: BPS Bali Province (2025 data); BPS NTB Province; Horwath HTL Lombok Report (April 2025)

Important context on the Lombok numbers: The airport figure of 61,618 represents only direct international arrivals through Lombok International Airport. The majority of foreign visitors arrive via speedboat or ferry from Bali, or through domestic connections. The total NTB province figure — including all entry points — was approximately 430,000 international visitors in 2024, according to Horwath HTL's analysis of BPS data. BPS NTB's own hotel occupancy data corroborates this: in the first five months of 2024 alone, 229,961 foreign guests were recorded staying in NTB hotels, compared to just 32,192 airport arrivals in the same period.

The gap between Bali and Lombok is enormous in absolute terms. But in growth terms, Lombok is expanding from a small base at a significantly faster rate — which is exactly the dynamic that creates opportunity for early investors.

Lombok's Monthly Arrival Trend

BPS publishes monthly foreign tourist arrivals through Lombok International Airport. The data shows clear seasonality and a consistent upward trend:

Source: BPS (Statistics Indonesia), national entrance table, updated July 2026

The 2026 data shows a clear upward trend compared to previous years, with April 2026 reaching 8,686 arrivals — likely the highest single month on record for Lombok's airport. The peak season runs July through October, aligning with the dry season and consistent surf conditions across the south coast.

Hotel Occupancy: What the Numbers Say

BPS NTB publishes monthly hotel performance data. The December 2024 release provides a snapshot:

Source: BPS NTB Province, "Perkembangan Pariwisata NTB Desember 2024" (released Feb 3, 2025)

For context, Horwath HTL's 2025 report found that top-tier luxury hotels in Lombok achieved 56% occupancy with an ADR of IDR 1.9 million in 2024 — significantly outperforming the market average. This confirms that property quality and positioning matter far more than the market average suggests.

The vacation rental segment (villas, Airbnb-style) showed 59% occupancy on mainland Lombok in 2024, though average nightly rates dropped 21% due to an 89% increase in supply. The Gili Islands maintained stable rates and occupancy despite rising listings.

Where the Visitors Come From

Indonesia's top source markets in 2024–2025:

Sources: Ministry of Tourism (2025 annual report); BPS monthly data

For Lombok specifically, BPS NTB data shows the December 2024 breakdown by region: ASEAN led with 3,329 visitors, followed by Europe with 1,781 and Asia (non-ASEAN) with 433. Australia's direct presence in Lombok has diminished post-Covid due to reduced flight connectivity — a gap that represents both a current limitation and a future opportunity as routes are restored.

The Bigger Picture: Infrastructure and Investment

The tourism numbers don't exist in isolation. Several structural factors are driving Lombok's trajectory:

Government investment is accelerating. Realized investment in Indonesia's tourism sector reached IDR 73.55 trillion (approximately US$4.38 billion) in 2025 — a 56% increase year-on-year. Lombok is a direct beneficiary through the Mandalika Special Economic Zone and ongoing infrastructure projects.

Domestic tourism is surging. Indonesia recorded 1.20 billion domestic trips in 2025, up 17.55% from the previous year. NTB received over 3.2 million domestic visitors in 2024 — a number that dwarfs international arrivals and provides a stable base of demand year-round.

Policy is shifting toward quality. The government has explicitly moved from a volume-first strategy to "quality tourism" — targeting longer stays, higher spending per visitor, and sustainable development. For Lombok, this means the focus is on attracting the right kind of tourism infrastructure, not just maximizing headcount.

What This Means for Investors

The data supports several conclusions:

The demand trend is real and sustained. Indonesia's tourism recovery is not a bounce — it's a structural growth story backed by government investment, improved connectivity, and diversification policy. Lombok sits at the center of that diversification strategy.

Lombok is early-stage, not undiscovered. With 430,000+ international visitors in 2024 and 3.2 million domestic visitors, Lombok already has meaningful tourism activity. But compared to Bali's 7 million international arrivals, the growth runway is enormous.

Supply is growing fast — positioning matters. The 89% increase in vacation rental supply on mainland Lombok (Horwath HTL, 2024 data) means that simply building a villa is not enough. Location, quality, and professional management are what separate properties that achieve 56%+ occupancy from those sitting at the market average.

The domestic market is underappreciated. Over 3.2 million domestic visitors in 2024 provides a demand floor that doesn't depend on international flight routes or global travel sentiment. Long-term rental demand from this segment is particularly relevant for investors considering that strategy.

Data Sources

All figures in this article are drawn from the following official and institutional sources:

• BPS (Statistics Indonesia) — National and provincial tourism statistics
• BPS NTB Province — Monthly tourism development releases (Perkembangan Pariwisata NTB)
• Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy — Annual performance reports
• ANTARA News Agency — Official government press briefings (Feb 2026)
• Horwath HTL — "Lombok Hotel & Branded Residences 2025" (April 2025), based on BPS and industry data

Where exact figures were unavailable or where sources reported slightly different numbers, we have noted the range and cited the most conservative figure.

Considering an investment in Lombok's growing tourism market? Contact us to discuss how the data translates into a realistic plan for your specific project.