Sandiaga Uno Optimistic, The Mandalika MotoGP Event Brings Windfall Fortune For Homestay Owners In NTB

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno (ANTARA DOK)

JAKARTA - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno believes that the 2022 MotoGP racing event will be able to revive the community's economy, including homestay owners in the Mandalika area, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

The reason is, the international racing event is predicted to bring in more than 100 thousand visitors, who cannot be accommodated in hotels around the circuit.

"We are directly reviewing the readiness of the 2022 MotoGP, which is a symbol of the economic revival of the people around Mandalika," said Sandiaga via electronic message, Antara, Jakara, Wednesday, January 12.

While visiting several homestays, Sandiaga also interacted with the owner of Kuta Circle Homestay Haji Salamiah, who has about 10 rooms with rental prices per night reaching Rp. 150 thousand to Rp. 400 thousand. As an effort to promote his lodging, Salamiah admitted that his son marketed the homestay digitally.

"I hope that the government's presence can help homestay entrepreneurs, especially in terms of lighting and water availability, which currently uses brackish ground water," he said.

Salamiah also stated that the presence of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy was able to stimulate tourism around his place of business, especially ahead of the MotoGP event.

Responding to this, Sandiaga considered the Kuta Circle Homestay facilities to be very good and equipped with water heaters and clean toilets.

In addition, he assessed that the expectations conveyed by Haji Salamiah regarding assistance to homestay entrepreneurs must be realized by the government.

"I understand this is a need from the community to get up immediately, and employment opportunities are getting more vibrant. For that, I hope that our policies will be right on target, on the right benefits and on time," he said.