Indonesia revs up tourism with motorcycle Grand Prix weekend on Lombok, an island long in Bali’s shadow
- Jakarta hopes Lombok will become as popular with tourists as Bali, kick-started this weekend by major international event in Mandalika resort
- President Joko Widodo, who rides one of nation’s 122 million motorcycles, showed off his prized bike to MotoGP riders while promoting competition
Indonesia’s goal to revitalise its pandemic-battered tourism sector could take a leap forward this weekend when the island of Lombok gears up to host one of the world’s top motorcycle races, seen as an opportunity to showcase there is far more to the country than resort island Bali.
Lombok is typically known among foreign travellers as an offshoot, getaway destination from the better-known and hugely popular Bali, which is less than an hour away by plane or two hours by fast boat.
Jakarta hopes to turn Lombok into a world-class tourist destination and has included it in the government’s “10 New Bali’s” programme, alongside the likes of lush Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Java’s Borobudur – the world’s largest Buddhist temple – and diving haven Wakatobi in North Sulawesi.
In Lombok, it is Mandalika that is the selling point. The coastal resort area in Central Lombok, complete with white-sand beaches, glistening ocean and green hills, offers the Mandalika Street Circuit – the site of this weekend’s MotoGP race and potentially a Formula One venue too – as well as high-end hotels, golf courses, an underwater park and a theme park, although some of these are still under construction. The value of the completed special economic zone, covering around 1,200 hectares, is estimated to come in at US$3 billion.
Widodo said 60,000 race tickets had been easily sold, underlining that Southeast Asia’s biggest economy is a motorcycle-crazed nation worthy of hosting the world’s premier two-wheeler race. The president is himself an avid rider, proving it by getting out his prized Kawasaki W175 bike to show off to the MotoGP group.
“I told the riders that Indonesia has 122 million motorcycles. There are many fans [of MotoGP] in Indonesia, and they are happy [that Indonesia hosts the race],” he said.
