The F1H2O was held at the Muliaraja Napitupulu Port, Lake Toba, Balige, North Sumatra, on February 24-26, 2023.
"We will maximize (holding) other events in sports, music, and others, in the Lake Toba area," Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno said here on Sunday (February 26).
Lake Toba was selected as the location for the F1H2O, as it is one of Indonesia's super-priority tourism destinations.
Despite being designated as one of the super-priority destinations, international-scale events, such as the MotoGP event in Mandalika, West Nusa Tenggara, and the ASEAN Tourism Forum event at Borobudur temple, Central Java, were needed to be held in Lake Toba to boost its attractiveness to tourists.
The 2023 F1H2O held at Lake Toba, in which 20 of the world's top racers participated, had attracted several tourists, so it is deemed able to boost the economy of residents in Balige and the surrounding areas.
"Previously, F1 Powerboat was targeted to be able to attract at least 25 thousand tourists, and 10 percent of them are international tourists. However, regarding the exact number, we will conduct further data collection," Uno said.
Apart from its impact by boosting tourist visits, the 2023 F1H2O event also had a positive impact on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and hotels and homestay accommodations in Balige by increasing the occupancy rate, he noted.
The minister expressed gratitude for the trust bestowed to host the F1H2O event at Lake Toba. The successful implementation of the event has become proof that Lake Toba is ready to host other international-scale events, he said.
"(Holding) the F1 Powerboat event is a very positive (step) and brings optimism while at the same time proving that we can hold this event well," he added.
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Translator: Juraidi, Raka Adji
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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