Lombok Green Nature Story
Lombok Green Nature is a professional tour and travel company that has been in business since 2010. The company is situated in Sembalun Village, East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. The inception of this business stemmed from a concern for the social and economic state of Sembalun, particularly in Lombok, and a desire to address the issues faced by jobless young individuals seeking alternative employment opportunities beyond the traditional agricultural sector, which has been a staple for generations.
Aware that society cannot rely on agriculture only to get prosperity for the locals who live in Sembalun Valley, the society rate increases daily while the land tightens because of inheritance allotment, building houses, and becoming residents. Most people in West Nusa Tenggara, mainly in East Lombok, go abroad to find a job as laborers; the majority are in Malaysia. This phenomenon arises due to the government’s inability to establish or expand employment opportunities for the local population. Sembalun, known for its stunning natural beauty and its location as the base gate to Mount Rinjani trekking, has seen a significant number of its residents migrate abroad in search of low-paying jobs in more prosperous countries.
Unemployment leads to poverty, which is why it’s crucial to operate a tour and travel business in Lombok, leveraging its abundant potential resources. The tourism sector requires a significant number of jobs and has the potential to significantly boost the local economy.
Besides that, it will be used in many other sectors, such as transportation, camping equipment rental, selling logistics, agriculture (vegetables and fruits), and accommodation like a homestay, inn, lodge, and hotel. Employ 10 permanent guides, 50 freelance guides, and hundreds of porters who conduct trekking and tours throughout Lombok.
We chose Lombok Green Nature as the company’s name because of its development concept and sustainable tourism. While discussing the benefits of our business is important, we also prioritize the sustainability of the environment. Make a commitment to operating a business that is environmentally conscious, as the tourism industry is increasingly relying on nature as its primary attraction. Developing tourism in developing countries appears to be trouble for nature, like a stake of garbage in every most visited destination. One of them is Mount Rinjani, a national park.
As part of Lombok Green Nature Management’s commitment to the environment and our social program, we donate 10% of our guests’ total tour package payments to various programs that promote a sustainable environment and social empowerment. We donate the collected funds to the Sembalun Nature Lovers and the Sembalun Community Development Center, which they use for conservation and social empowerment programs.
In addition, we implement a system aimed at reducing the use of plastic, specifically bottles and sachets, in order to mitigate the issue of waste. Sembalun Community Development Center (SCDC) and Sembapala (the name of an organization that cares for and loves nature) are organizations that focus on running programs to empower society and promote environmental conservation. Why is our tour package more expensive than others? We take 15% profit for each product tour that we offer, and we contribute 10% to our organization and partners.
The prices of our tour packages are suitable for travelers, especially those trekking to Mount Rinjani. Our tour packages may be more expensive than those offered by other operators, but we only take a 15% profit. However, we have compelling reasons and superior value that enable us to offer higher prices than our competitors. In order to develop our business, we propose a benefit principle for all stakeholders. Consider not only maximizing profits, but also delivering exceptional service to ensure a positive experience for our guests, while also providing benefits to those who collaborate with us.
As a tour operator, it is our responsibility to provide the highest quality of service to the guests who utilize our services for their tours. Besides that, we also have to fully fill the rights of the laborers, like porters and guides, and every element who goes along in this industry about the weight of goods and payment. Every porter must bring a maximum of 25 kilograms; they may not carry more than 25 kilograms. However, most operators violate this rule by providing their porters with more than 25 kilos, often as much as 30 to 40 kilos. They do this for profit, and they victimize their laborers (porters).
This practice, for us, violates the human rights of laborers. This practice exploits their inability to earn more profit without considering their health, forcing them to carry a heavy load that exceeds their physical capabilities. Several times, our team found some porters fainting on the way. This often resulted from the strain of carrying heavy loads. In 2017, a porter from Senaru died on the way to Rinjani. He was getting exhausted. Due to these circumstances, we have decided to maintain our standard price, which has the potential to bring joy and happiness to everyone. Our mission is so clear: we built this business in the spirit of developing others to make their social and economic lives better.