"So far, NTB has 99 tourist villages to anticipate (an influx of) MotoGP spectators because there are not enough hotel rooms to accommodate all of them, especially on Lombok Island," head of the NTB Tourism Service, Jamaludin Malady, stated in Mataram, on Friday.
His side is aiming for the number of MotoGP Mandalika spectators to reach 125 thousand people, higher than last year's target of 102,929.
The NTB provincial government has also coordinated with the District and City Tourism Offices on Lombok and Sumbawa Islands, as well as tourist village managers, to prepare various accommodation facilities for MotoGP spectators.
"Each tourist village can prepare homestays, camping grounds, and glamping," Malady stated.
Earlier, Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration, Abdul Halim Iskandar, also reminded that villages in Central Lombok should make the necessary preparations to promote tourism ahead of the MotoGP event.
The minister highlighted that tourists' needs for accommodation, food, transportation, and other services can become business opportunities that directly improve the welfare of these villages.
According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), 6,713 foreign tourists arrived at Zainuddin Abdul Madjid Airport in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, in June 2024. This figure decreased by 13.29 percent compared to May 2024.
The highest number of foreign tourist visits by region came from Southeast Asia, with 3,553 people; Europe, 1,691 people; and Asia, except Southeast Asia, 888 people.
The average length of stay of tourists in star-rated hotels was 1.84 days, up 0.06 from 1.78 days in May 2024.
Meanwhile, the average length of stay of tourists in non-star hotels in May and June 2024 was recorded at 1.58 days.
Malady then highlighted that several tourist villages in West Nusa Tenggara, including Tetebatu and Kembang Kuning at the foot of Mount Rinjani located in East Lombok District, are well-known for representing Indonesia at the global level.
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Translator: Sugiharto Purnama, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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