Mandalika is a tourist area of 20,035 hectares located in Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. Since 2017, Mandalika has been inaugurated as a tourism Special Economic Zone (SEZ) which is planned to become a tourist area. The name Mandalika comes from the name of a princess in folklore related to the Nyale celebration in Lombok.[citation needed]
History
The Mandalika area is located in Kuta, Pujut, Central Lombok. The area which was later developed was originally planned as an investment project by Emaar Properties of the United Arab Emirates with the signing of a memorandum of understanding on March 19, 2008. The plan was later canceled with the onset of the world economic recession in 2008. The proposal for the area in Kuta as a special economic zone (SEZ) was then carried out by the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial government and Central Lombok regency government in 2011 which in the process was assisted by the government of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono through the Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa. This proposal is a response to the central government’s initiative related to tourism development in NTB on July 22, 2011. SBY stated that this development was adjusted to the Master Plan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesian Economic Development (MP3EI). The construction of Mandalika was launched with an initial budget of IDR 27 trillion which began work in at least 2011. A groundbreaking ceremony was then held on October 21, 2011 along with the signing of a memorandum of understanding with several contractor partners including the Bali Tourism & Development Corporation (BTDC), Global Land Development , and Canvas Development from Rajawali Property Group. Hatta Rajasa said that the construction of Mandalika will increase regional income and empower local workers. On 1 August 2018, the Qatar Investment Authority signed an investment agreement for the development of Mandalika amounting to IDR 7.2 trillion.