Mandalika Circuit Gets FIA Certification

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Mandalika circuit in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has been certified by the International Automotive Federation (FIA) for holding racing competitions for four-wheeled vehicles, PT Aviasi Wisata Indonesia or InJourney has informed.

"We have just received FIA certification to conduct four-wheeled vehicles race in the Mandalika circuit," president director of the state-owned enterprises tourism holding, Dony Oskaria, said in Jakarta on Monday.

Thus, in addition to the World Superbike (WSBK) and MotoGP championships, the Mandalika circuit can now hold competitions for four-wheeled vehicles, he added.

Oskaria said that InJourney will also start developing water sports to attract tourists to Mandalika.

Earlier, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, said that the WSBK and MotoGP motorbike races at Mandalika Circuit had a positive impact on improving the regional and national economy.

The economic value from the WSBK and MotoGP events was determined based on a comprehensive study conducted by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy with the University of Indonesia (UI), he informed.

He said the results of organizing events such as the WSBK and MotoGP in Mandalika can be gauged from the creation of many new jobs and the involvement of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which have been able to reduce the unemployment rate in NTB.

In addition, during this year's international event, the number of tourist visits through Zainuddin Abdul Madjid (Bizam) Lombok International Airport reached six thousand per day as against the target of 8,000, Uno disclosed.

Regarding future activities in NTB, the ministry is working with several elements to bring foreign spectators, whose number is currently still at 20 percent to 30 percent.

Another strategy is to open interconnections between special economic zones and direct flights from abroad as well as tourism cooperation with Malaysia and several other Asian countries, including Australia, he added.

ANTARA

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News