TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia 2023 boosts Lombok tourism sector
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
T
he global racing event the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia 2023, held in Mandalika, Lombok, has enhanced the tourism sector in West Nusa Tenggara.
This was conveyed by several businesspeople in the tourism sector around Lombok. One of them was Ahmad Yani, a Cidomo driver in Gili Trawangan. Ahmad said that during the pandemic, the tourism sector in Gili Trawangan and the surrounding areas of Lombok were completely closed. However, when the world racing event took place last year at the Pertamina Mandalika International Circuit, the economy and the tourism sector saw a drastic increase.
“During COVID, Gili Trawangan was completely closed, with only local activities taking place. When the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia 2022 occurred, there was a significant improvement, thank God. It became so crowded with tourists that we couldn't accommodate more tourists. Our income also increased. Now, even two days before the event, many tourists are already arriving," he said.
Sahrip, a bicycle rental shop owner in Gili Trawangan, also observed that foreign tourists usually arrived a few days before the competition.
"Usually, tourists arrive after the Mandalika MotoGP. Some have already booked rooms in Gili for after the event and then cross over. Typically, when tourists come for the MotoGP, they don't immediately return to their countries; they always take a vacation around the event," he said.
A similar sentiment was expressed by John, a tourist from Austria. Met at Lombok International Airport, John was eager to watch the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia 2023 in Mandalika. After attending the racing event, he planned to vacation in Lombok for a week.
"I'm very interested in MotoGP in Indonesia. I've been traveling around to watch this event. After the race is over, I'll tour Lombok for swimming, snorkeling, hiking and enjoying the surroundings for my vacation," he said.
PT Pertamina (Persero) corporate communications vice president Fadjar Djoko Santoso expreseed hope that the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia 2023 would provide a multiplier effect for economic growth, including for players in the tourism industry and local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
"May its presence provide an opportunity for businesses and SMEs to penetrate a broader global market," he said.
Pertamina, as a leading company in the energy transition sector, is committed to supporting the Net-Zero Emissions 2060 target by continuously promoting programs that have a direct impact on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All these efforts align with the implementation of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles across Pertamina's business and operations.
