Mandalika MotoGP, A Seasonal Event That Needs To Be Continued

MotoGP rider from Spain. Marc Marquez and his younger brother, Alex (sitting back) participated in promoting Lombok as a tourist destination. (Photo: Instagram@alexmarquez73)

JAKARTA - In a week, the world's eyes will be on Indonesia, the Indonesian MotoGP series will be held at the Mandalika Circuit, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) on March 18-20. Indonesia's new civilization begins.

This racing event will be a test for the Indonesian people, are we ready to enter a very high civilization and compete with many countries that have already started it?

The entire work process of MotoGP is oriented to quality and technology that is full of quality, which makes the price of their racing motorbikes exorbitant, reaching IDR 70 billion.

Behind it all, the Mandalika MotoGP event is believed to be able to move the local community's economy. The magnitude of the economic potential is expected to improve the standard of living of residents around Mandalika. The location of Mandalika, which is in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ), cannot be separated from the desire to attract investment, open up job opportunities, encourage exports, and transfer technology and innovation.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto, inspects the MSME exhibition in Mandalika to welcome the 2022 Indonesian MotoGP. (Photo: ANTARA)

The demographic condition of Central Lombok is dominated by non-formal sector workers. This gap can be used to improve the socio-economic life of the surrounding community. The new economic source, namely sports tourism, even though it will be seasonal, this era of "new Bali" still needs to be maintained continuously.

According to the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, although it is struggling to overcome a number of obstacles, two international level racing events, namely the World Superbike (WSBK) and the Asia Talent Cup (ATC) on 19-21 November 2021. This event is claimed to be witnessed by 1.6 billion people in the world. The Mandalika Circuit will be increasingly global because it will host the second series of MotoGP 2022.

Labor Absorption

The Mandalika MotoGP is expected to absorb up to 7.945 workers. This includes 3.000 workers from the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), who were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data compiled from the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSMEs, Kemenparekraf, Bank Indonesia, and the Government of West Nusa Tenggara, as many as 1.256 MSMEs are ready to welcome the Mandalika MotoGP.

Data from the Department of Cooperatives and SMEs in NTB states that there are 123.000 SMEs in the province. Meanwhile, according to the Central Statistics Agency, the number is higher, reaching 660.000 units

So far, the lives of residents of Central Lombok, 72 percent are supported by the agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism sectors.

The 2022 MotoGP event in Mandalika is expected to promote MSMEs in the NTB Province. (Photo: ANTARA)

According to records from the Central Statistics Agency, most of the population in Central Lombok does depend on the non-formal sector for their livelihood. In fact, as much as 38.7 percent of the workforce in Central Lombok belongs to the category of casual workers and family/unpaid workers. This means that although Central Lombok is often a tourist destination, this area is still struggling with employment issues.

Although it is seasonal, in the future, holding various international racing events at the Mandalika Circuit will further grow NTB tourism and other related sectors. This needs to be accompanied by improving the quality of local human resources, transitioning livelihoods, and strengthening MSMEs typical of the region.

The Mandalika MotoGP event is not just about racing. Behind it lies the hope of some people, especially the 128.100 poor people in Central Lombok, for a better life with the existence of the Mandalika Circuit.

The high interest and racing fans for the Mandalika MotoGP event has grown the business and economy of the local community, which is expected to have a positive impact on restoring the local and national economy.