Announcement! The Government Again Limits MotoGP Spectators To 60 Thousand

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hatarto (Photo: Public Relations)

JAKARTA - The government has decided to limit the number of MotoGP spectators at the Pertamina Mandalika circuit, South Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) to 60,000 spectators. The decision was taken by taking into account active cases of COVID-19 and vaccinations in the NTB region.

In fact, previously the capacity of the world motorcycle racing event which will take place at Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit, Mandalika, Central Lombok, NTB, on March 18-20 2022 is expected to be watched by 100,000 spectators.

"The President's directive regarding (MotoGP) Mandalika, which originally had 100,000 spectators, has been reduced to 60,000 with the current situation," said Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartanto, in a virtual press conference, Sunday, February 27.

Airlangga explained that the decision was an adjustment to the COVID-19 pandemic conditions around the NTB Province area. Where, cases were recorded at 3,200 cases but with a spread below the national level.

"The BOR (hospital occupancy rate) is 20 percent. This is below the national level (36 percent)," he said.

The PPKM Outside Java-Bali coordinator said the government continued to increase the number of vaccinations in all districts and cities in Lombok to anticipate the spread of COVID-19, in the midst of the world racing agenda.

Overall, said Airlangga, in NTB the rate of the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination reached 91.4 percent. Meanwhile, the second process is 65.3 percent and the booster or booster is 2.6 percent.

"(Details) for the City of Mataram, the first dose of vaccination has reached 115 percent and the second dose is 84 percent. Meanwhile in Central Lombok Regency the vaccination rate for the first dose has reached 91.5 percent. Meanwhile, the second dose is 74 percent and the third dose or booster is only 1, 2 percent," he said.

For your information, in January 2022, Jokowi gave his blessing to increase the MotoGP audience quota from 63,000 to 100,000 spectators. The addition of this audience quota has been responded by business actors to prepare accommodation and transportation.

In fact, PT Hotel Indonesia Natour (HIN) as a member of the Tourism BUMN Holding and Supporting PT Aviasi Wisata Indonesia (Persero) or known as InJourney, has also supported the MotoGP event, namely by meeting the need for accommodation in Mandalika, Mataram and its surroundings.

Director of Business Development and Marketing of PT Hotel Indonesia Natour, Christine Hutabarat said HIN has coordinated with the government of West Nusa Tenggara, to be able to prepare residents' housing to become alternative housing for MotoGP spectators because they see the availability of star hotel occupancy rates which are running low.

"Cooperating with the NTB Government, the NTB Tourism Office and related agencies, including cooperating with tourist villages scattered throughout the Mandalika area and its surroundings such as Stanggor Village, Mandalika Tourism Village and so on," said Christine in a written statement, Wednesday, February 23.

Christine said that through collaboration with local governments and approaches to tourist villages, it is hoped that it can become a source of income for residents while meeting the accommodation needs of prospective Mandalika MotoGP spectators.