With the MotoGP 2022 event preparations entering the final stage, Mandalika, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), is ready to welcome tourists.
“Preparations have entered the final stage in all sectors. Starting from the entry of participants and tourists, supporting transportation, to health facilities,” said Deputy for Tourism Products and Creative Economy of the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry Rizki Handayani Mustafa on Tuesday 1st March 2022.
According to Mustafa, with less than three weeks remaining, the organisers just need to tidy up elements. He also gave assurances that preparations in all sectors were under the coordination of Field Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto of the Indonesian Army.
“Every week we are testing, so we know what are the shortcomings that still need to be prepared,” he added.
Mustafa said he hopes NTB, especially Lombok, will become an international destination not only because of this event. He also wants to see improvements in health facilities, transportation, and community readiness.
Director-General of Land Transportation Budi Setiyadi said the government had prepared a budget of Rp21.2 billion to support the 2022 MotoGP. With this budget, several services are being provided including shuttle buses, intermodal buses, bus stops, public street lighting, and traffic engineering management.
“First, there are around 278 buses assisted by the Transportation Ministry for intermodal transportation,” said Setiyadi.
Intermodal transportation is being used to transport passengers from several transportation nodes. These include Gilimas Port, Lembar Harbor, Bangsal Harbor, Kayangan Harbor, downtown Mataram, and Zainuddin Abdul Madjid International Airport in Lombok.
Looking at the previous year, Setiyadi added, most of the movement emanated from the centres of Mataram City.
The Transportation Ministry is also providing 188 medium-sized shuttle buses to transport spectators from the transportation nodes to the Mandalika area, as well as for moving from the parking lot to the circuit entrance gate. The vehicles, he said, would be free of charge to the 2022 MotoGP audience.
The shuttle bus vehicles are expected to be able to avoid congestion due to restrictions on private vehicles to the Mandalika area. Thus, spectators who bring private vehicles such as motorbikes or cars will still be transported by bus.
The Ministry is preparing parking lots outside the Mandalika area as well as procurement and installation of road equipment.
“We are also building several shelters there. We are also building four shelters to make pick-up easier,” said Budi.
Meanwhile, to facilitate viewers from outside the island, a number of ferries, fast boats, and long-distance ferries will also be operated.
In the future, he continued, his team and the police will hold a traffic engineering simulation in an effort to anticipate crowds of spectators.