Malaysia Dominates Foreign Tourist Visits to Lombok, Direct Flights Are the Key

West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) maintains its appeal among international tourists, especially those from Malaysia. Geographical proximity supported by direct flight services has made this neighbouring country the largest source of foreign visitors arriving through Lombok Airport throughout May 2026.

This arrival trend demonstrates that air connectivity remains the primary factor boosting regional tourism performance. In addition to travel accessibility, Muslim-friendly tourism promotions and the range of flagship destinations on both Lombok Island and Sumbawa Island have further increased interest from Malaysian travellers.

"Malaysia is the top origin country for tourists entering via Lombok Airport. Their total reached 2,812 people," stated Wahyudin, Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) for West Nusa Tenggara, in Mataram.

Throughout May 2026, a total of 7,987 international tourists arrived through Lombok Airport. Around 35 percent of this total came from Malaysia. Singapore ranked second with 950 visitors, followed by France with 551 arrivals.

The high number of Malaysian tourist arrivals is directly linked to the availability of direct flights connecting Lombok Airport and Kuala Lumpur. With this travel convenience, trips to various tourist destinations across Lombok Island and Sumbawa Island become significantly more practical and efficient.

When grouped by region, tourists from ASEAN countries still dominated with a total of 4,030 arrivals. This was followed by European tourists at 2,489, non-ASEAN Asian tourists at 858, American tourists at 324, Oceanian tourists at 207, African tourists at 72, and just 7 visitors from the Middle East.

"International tourist arrivals are highest from ASEAN, and upon closer breakdown, the majority of these visitors originate from Malaysia," he stated.

At present, the direct Lombok–Kuala Lumpur flight route operates one to two times daily. Flight duration is approximately three hours, with ticket prices ranging between IDR 3.5 million and IDR 4.5 million.

The West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government continues to capitalise on this momentum by intensifying promotions for Muslim-friendly tourism and high-quality travel destinations. This strategy is expected to strengthen NTB's position as one of the preferred destinations for Malaysian tourists, while also expanding reach to other international visitor markets.

Although Malaysia remains the largest foreign tourist market for air arrivals, BPS records indicate that total international tourist arrivals to NTB experienced a decline in May 2026. Visitor numbers fell by 8.05 percent compared to April 2026, when arrivals stood at 8,686 people.

On an annual basis, foreign tourist arrivals also recorded a 7.57 percent decrease compared to May 2025, which had registered 8,641 total visitors.