First off -get the record straight- Mount Rinjani doesn’t want to be the next luxury weekend getaway and many people are letting that be known.
Out of nowhere (or so it seems) a company called SPI wants to fly tourists into Mount Rinjani in a seaplane and build glamping tents along the shore of Lake Segara Anak- the crater lake located in the national park. Well… we all know how that went over.
Seaplanes? In a Conservation Area?
It seems SPI plans to fly tourists into one of Indonesia’s most protected natural areas- offering up to three seaplane flights a day. Then after those flights, they plan to add 15 to 20 luxury glamping units. And call it conservation? No way!
Even the local park authorities, such as the Balai Taman Nasional Gunung Rinjani (BTNGR), acknowledge that their business contract has been in discussion since 2020. While they indicated that an area can be utilized for the tourism, local residents and activists aren’t convinced.
Local Residents and Environmentalists: Not Happy
Zaenal Abidin, who operates a trekking company from East Lombok carried real distress surrounding the issue. He is worried not only for his own business, but the workers and homestay owners that lean on traditional trekking tourism. “This plan could destroy us,” he said.
One homestay owner in Sembalun, Rahmat Hidayat, shared the same concerns. “Why would tourists stay in my homestay if they could fly in and out in one day?” he asked. It makes sense, fewer overnighting guests mean fewer travelers and less support for the economy.
Students Are Weighing In Too
One of the loudest voices against the project? Student environmentalists. The group, Gempar UGR, from the University of Mount Rinjani, have been actively organizing opposition to the project. Their leader, Azhar Pawadi, shared that even the existing tourism activities are already stressing the ecosystem – adding seaplanes would only hasten a downward trajectory for both the environment, and the economy.
“Let’s remember what a national park is for – conservation, not commercialization,” he stated to a gathering on campus.
Azhar shared they acquired a public test document from SPI. It gave all the solutions – daily flights, high-end tents, and job offers – many as aircraft technician and pilot roles. “Are the locals meant to fly the planes? Come on. This is lip service,” Azhar questioned the real nature of the project.
What’s the Big Picture?
Students, tourism operators, and lovers of nature are all saying the same thing: Rinjani is not for sale! The so-called “eco-tourism” plans feel like blatant greenwashing to many stakeholders on the ground. In particular when the protected core conservation zones are open to development – the same zones that researchers need special access to visit.
With reports of planned protests and increasing public pressure, SPI likely has a rocky road ahead. For now, the battle continues to keep Rinjani wild and not turned into a resort destination with runway access.