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THE NUMBER of World Superbike (WSBK) racing spectators at the Mandalika Circuit in 2023 decreased dramatically compared to last year’s audience. On the first and second days of WSBK on March 3-4, 2023, the Mandalika Circuit was very quiet.
Even the entertainment concert organized by the committee was not as busy as the previous year. Only a few people came to watch the concert.
Responding to the lack of WSBK spectators this year, the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno said, they had anticipated this condition. The Ministry of Tourism realized that the WSBK event in 2023 was at the beginning of the season so that public interest in watching was somewhat reduced.
“Last year (2022) was at the end (of the season) so everyone had enthusiasm. So, it is like a new engine starting (warming up). However, the current number of spectators is not too bad. Because we have several targets and we already have a team to see the impact economically, socially, as well as the impact of increasing awareness or knowledge about the impact of Mandalika destinations. So, I am not too worried about a decline,” Sandiaga Uno said.
Sandiaga added that the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has also coordinated with the NTB Tourism Office regarding several targets that have been set. So far, the organization of the event is believed to achieve these targets.
“So that the community will feel the benefits and of course open up wider business opportunities for the people of NTB. Regarding the promotion of the WSBK event, according to Sandiaga Uno, his party has done an all-out promotion. Well, the promotion is all out, I use digital we also develop, the target is more to archipelago tourists,” he said.
He explained that the promotion has been carried out intensively in the last three weeks, because he realized the audience’s habit of hunting for tickets ahead of race day. Based on studies conducted, in two years of organizing racing at the Mandalika Circuit, the impact was quite significant in encouraging the growth of the community’s economy.
“This shows that this (Mandalika development) is the right investment, right on target, right on benefits. The next task, in the future the government must ensure that investment in the Mandalika Circuit brings prosperity to the community,” he concluded. [sources/photo special]
