GDP and monetary contributions from tourism can be used to alleviate important issues such as lack of infrastructure, low employment rates or poverty by contributing resources to fostering opportunities for the local communities.

In this week’s blog, I’ll unpack how tourism, when managed sustainably, can contribute to building a society that is engaged with sustainable tourism.

Remember COP25? It wasn’t so long ago that the world watched leaders from around the world gather in Madrid to discuss the future of our climate.

This blog will cover the most important outcomes and observations of COP25 as well as my personal experiences and what we, as youth, achieved at the conference.

The 17 United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), launched in 2015, highlight 169 targets that aim to push forward the current standards of international development. The SDGs focus around many topics including targets for protecting the planet, fighting inequality and combatting the effects of climate change while involving all relevant stakeholders along the implementation process.

The question is: how can these goals be applied to sustainable tourism?

The Mandalika Project, a government-mandated project, looking to create a new and sustainable alternative destination to Bali, has inspired some exciting new technologies for eco-sustainability. These new developments, which are looking to be implemented in Bali as well, are intended to make Lombok a sustainable tourism paradise.

The quickly developing island of Lombok is slated to become a fantastic and environmentally sustainable eco-tourism destination through the guidelines put into place by the Indonesian government. This project promises to redefine eco-tourism to bring people closer to a healthier lifestyle and one that is in tune with the natural environment. 

After spending the last two years traveling, working and volunteering in various parts of Southeast Asia, Caitlin found herself fascinated by the explosion in tourism, the spread of Western influence and the impact tourism is having on the local community.

In part II of this blog piece, she will discuss her observations while carrying out fieldwork in Lombok to provide insights on the management and implementation of the Mandalika Project.

Read on to see how local communities are being affected and what prospects lie ahead for the island as it faces rapid development.