PT InJourney Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) firmly denies allegations of selling the Tanjung Aan Beach area in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). ITDC emphasizes that beaches are protected public spaces owned by the state and are not for sale.
“ITDC does not have the authority to sell state assets such as beaches. What ITDC does is manage land use through legal cooperation schemes like LUDA (Land Utilization Development Agreement) and long-term leases, on state-managed land under the Management Rights (HPL) status, in accordance with Government Regulation No. 50 of 2008,” explained Wahyu Moerhadi Nugroho, General Manager of The Mandalika, in an interview on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
He further clarified that investor land utilization is not privatization. The public will continue to have open access to the beach, similar to the arrangements made at The Nusa Dua area in Bali.
“The development efforts by ITDC in the beach area aim to prepare build-ready land in compliance with zoning regulations, supporting the creation of a legal, organized, and internationally standardized tourism zone,” Wahyu added.
ITDC also highlights that construction activities in The Mandalika are carried out responsibly and sustainably, maintaining public access, encouraging community participation, and preserving local culture and the environment.
However, local residents around Tanjung Aan Beach in Sengkol Village, Pujut District, Central Lombok, have voiced strong opposition to the proposed eviction of small food stalls. They believe such evictions would severely impact their livelihoods.
Kartini, one of the stall owners, recalled the bitter experience of eviction at Kuta Mandalika Beach. She said the community’s way of life there came to a complete halt after the eviction.
“What happened was that people’s lives in Lombok (at Kuta Mandalika Beach) completely collapsed,” Kartini told reporters at Tanjung Aan Beach on Friday, June 20, 2025.
She fears a repeat of that situation at Tanjung Aan and urges ITDC to focus more on boosting the local economy, providing job opportunities, and improving community welfare.
“But what’s happening now at Kuta Mandalika is that international tourists don’t want to come. This is bad for our tourism,” she added.
Kartini also criticized ITDC’s tourism development approach as environmentally unfriendly. She pointed to the stagnant Mandalika Beach Club (MBC), citing unpaid taxes and a lack of progress.
“The fact is, the MBC established by investors under ITDC is virtually dormant, even falling behind on local government taxes. Several other ventures there are stagnant as well. It’s hard for investors to thrive under ITDC,” Kartini concluded.
