Sport can have a profound impact on the development of communities, especially when they are located in an area renowned for its beautiful beaches and world-class surf breaks.

In the case of Mandalika in South Lombok, this impact is not only expected to attract many more foreign and domestic tourists to the area but also to improve the lives of the local communities most directly involved.

The area around Kuta in South Lombok is renowned for its beautiful beaches and proximity to world-class surf breaks. Image by Christine Blankert on Pixabay.

Improving the quality of housing

One such initiative is the repair and upgrade of around 240-houses through the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance Programme (BSPS) in the villages of Anyar, Kuta, Mertak, Sukanda, Sengkol and Rembitan, which officials hope will improve the quality of uninhabitable homes in the area.

The BSPS programme is expected to improve the quality of housing in 198,500 units as well as the construction of 8,000 new units in 2019 with a budget of more than IDR 2.25 trillion.

Mandalika and South Lombok are preparing to host the world's first MotoGP street circuit in 2021. Image by Focusfeel on Wkimedia Commons.

According to Kontan, Hiramsyah Thaib, Team Leader for the Acceleration of Development of 10 Priority Tourism Destinations said the government had increased the State Budget (APBN) from IDR 1.7 trillion in 2019 to IDR 9.35 trillion in 2020 in efforts to accelerate the development of five super priority destinations in Indonesia, one of which is Mandalika.

Budget increases

The budget for Mandalika alone has been increased from IDR 18.8 billion in 2019 to IDR 1.9 trillion in 2020, which will be spread across several ministries each focusing on specific areas including normalizing water supply systems, education and training facilities, developing tourist worker accommodation as well as fast-tracking efforts to complete land acquisition.

Kontan are also reporting Central Government has already begun to enlarge the main road from Lombok International Airport to Mandalika and will build a cruise pier and container terminal at the Gili Mas port.

Groundbreaking ceremony

Central Lombok Regent, H. Moh. Suhaili has also announced plans for President Jokowi, together with Dorna Sports, to conduct a groundbreaking ceremony for the MotoGP project in October according to local newswires.

The fact that the groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled around the same time President Jokowi officially begins his second term is likely to improve investor confidence further.

Dorna Sports and the Indonesian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) have signed a five-year deal to build the world's first MotoGP street circuit in Mandalika, South Lombok. Image by Ali Mahmood on Unsplash.

Gapura Bali reported earlier this year that Dorna Sports and the Indonesian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) had signed a five-year deal to build the world's first MotoGP street circuit in Mandalika, a project that is expected to significantly boost tourism and investment into the area. Tempo recently reported the investment value for the Mandalika project as a whole was more than a USD 1 billion over a 15-year period.

Sources: Kompas, Kontan, Kicknews Today, IndoSport, Gapura Bali, Tempo

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