The West
Nusa Tenggara administration officially opened, on Saturday, Lombok
International Airport in a move to boost tourism in Lombok, an island next to
Bali which is becoming popular among both local and foreign tourists.
The new
airport is located in Pujut district in Central Lombok regency, about 40
kilometers to the south of Mataram, the capital of West Nusa Tenggara.
It is
managed by state airport operator PT Angkasa Pura I, and replaces the old
Selaparang Airport, which had been the main portal for entering Lombok.
A Boeing
737-800 JR airplane operated by national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia was the
first commercial aircraft to land at the new airport, carrying West Nusa
Tenggara Governor Zainul Majdi and his entourage, as well as Transportation
Ministry director general for air transport Harry Bhakti, from Soekarno-Hatta
International Airport in Jakarta, Antara reported.