Mount Rinjani National Park is proving that conservation and economic value can move in the same direction. Behind its protected landscapes, tourism and environmental services are generating a surprisingly large economic impact for surrounding communities.
Data from the Mount Rinjani National Park Authority in West Nusa Tenggara shows that tourism and environmental service activities produced a total economic circulation of Rp182.05 billion throughout 2025. The figure reflects money flowing directly into local communities living around the conservation area.
Head of the Mount Rinjani National Park Authority, Budhy Kurniawan, said the amount marks a sharp rise compared to previous years. The increase aligns with the rapid growth of environment based service businesses developing around the Rinjani area.
“In 2025, economic circulation from service activities in the Mount Rinjani National Park reached Rp182.05 billion. This figure increased compared to 2024, which was recorded at around Rp109 billion, and 2023, which was still in the range of Rp78 billion,” he said, as quoted by Antara on Saturday (31/1/2026).
Budhy explained that this growth highlights a positive trend in how conservation areas contribute to local economies. The benefits are especially felt by communities whose livelihoods depend on tourism services and environmental based activities.
According to him, the largest share of economic circulation comes from porter services, tour guides, accommodation providers, restaurants, and various tourism support businesses that have expanded around the Mount Rinjani National Park area.
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“If compared to 2023, the increase is close to 300 percent. This reflects the growth in the variety of community businesses around the national park, not merely an increase in visitor numbers,” he said.
He stressed that park management is not aimed at commercializing natural resources. Instead, it follows a strict zoning system and conservation principles that prioritize long term sustainability.
“National park management is based on zoning, ranging from core zones, wilderness zones, utilization zones, traditional zones, to special zones. The principle is protection, preservation, and sustainable use,” he said.
Budhy also noted that utilization within conservation areas differs fundamentally from production forests. Activities are directed toward environmental services, with conservation oriented ecotourism playing a central role.
“Utilization in conservation areas focuses more on environmental services, such as nature tourism. This is done to ensure the area remains sustainable while also providing economic benefits for the community,” he said.
Beyond Mount Rinjani climbing activities, the park authority is actively encouraging the development of non climbing tourism. This includes visits to waterfalls, natural pools, and other nature attractions scattered around the conservation area.
To further strengthen alternative economic opportunities, the Mount Rinjani National Park Authority has also started developing genetic resource potential. This includes morel mushrooms, medicinal plants, and other biological resources, all of which are being pursued through careful research stages and strict regulatory processes.
