NTB Provincial Government Issues Upper Limit Rates For Lodging Ahead Of MotoGP

Head of the NTB Tourism Office, Yusron Hadi. (ANTARA/Nur Imansyah).

MATARAM - The West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government issued NTB Governor Regulation Number 9 of 2022 concerning the Implementation of Accommodation Services Business in line with high hotel and lodging rates in the area ahead of the MotoGP event at the Mandalika Circuit, 18-20 March 2022.

The head of the NTB Tourism Office, Yusron Hadi, said that this Pergub was issued to regulate the upper and lower limits of lodging rooms during the Mandalika MotoGP.

"This is done to create a good atmosphere in every international activity, to provide certainty to the public regarding lodging prices and also to open up wider opportunities for the public to watch international events," he said, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, February 22.

He explained that the Pergub regulates the tariff for accommodation services based on zoning. In the zone where the activity takes place, the maximum room rate increase is 3 times, then the outer zone is 2 times and the zone farthest from the competition area is a maximum increase of 1 time.

"So we do not regulate the rupiah which is the authority of each inn. We are only limited to how many times the increase is allowed and I think this is still profitable," said Yusron.

However, according to Yusron, the price increase must also be accompanied by an increase in service quality, development of attractions, and tourism. Especially for travel agents, they can also sell tickets and lodging with a bundling system provided they don't sell at high prices.

"The issue of transportation rental rates will also prepare regulations. And this is at the same time a challenge for our travel agents or tourism business actors to make packages with transportation readiness and airplane tickets," he said.

Yusron hopes that the issuance of the NTB Governor Regulation can be understood by tourism actors in the region. Bearing in mind, this price-related regulation is aimed at the sustainability of international activities in NTB.

"So this is a form of concern, because after all the sustainability of this tourism must continue, considering this activity is also not once but will be continuous," he said.

Previously, a number of inn owners rejected the plan of the NTB Provincial Government to issue a Pergub related to the upper and lower limit rates for hotels and inns ahead of the MotoGP event.

"We do not agree with the governor's discourse, it will definitely get rejected, in fact it is considered a waste," said the owner of the Delima Hotel in Mataram City, Misbach Mulyadi.

For Misbach, the high rate of sale of hotel rooms by hotel managers per night is a very natural thing and it is the prevailing law of the market. Because, he said, this increase was only temporary as long as international activities took place. Except, the skyrocketing prices for hotel rooms and car rentals last a long time.

"After all, only 3 days when the activity took place," he said.

In addition, the increase in hotel room prices will have an impact on increasing taxes issued by hoteliers to local governments.

He also gave an example, when the price of chili peppers soared in NTB, in fact, there were still people who bought them out of necessity.

"There is already a market, it should be noted that those who watch and stay overnight are those who have money," said Misbach.