Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Women's Cycling Community Nusantara (WCCN) Grand Tour Series 2023 can help bolster sports tourism and women's empowerment, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno has said.

"This event will kick off at the Sapta Pesona Building in Jakarta on July 30, 2023, then in Bandung in August, Bali in September, and Borobudur in October," Uno noted in his statement received here on Tuesday.

The WCCN Grand Tour Series offers a bicycle tour in four cities to explore Indonesia's tourist destinations.

The minister believes that the WCCN can enrich the variety of marine tourism charms in Indonesia.

This year, the WCCN Grand Tour Series will be held in four cities, with the tour duration lasting for two days in each city.

The WCCN Grand Tour Series will begin at the Sapta Pesona Building on Sunday, July 30, Jakarta, with 60 cyclists participating.

Overall, around 800 to one thousand cyclists are expected to participate in the tour in the four cities.

Uno expressed his optimism that Labuan Bajo and Likupang can be part of the WCCN Grand Tour Series destinations in 2024.

"Maybe next year, the grand tour can include Labuan Bajo, and we will try to facilitate it with (state-owned tourism and aviation holding) Injourney," he said.

Meanwhile, the ministry's Deputy of Tourism Products and Event Organization, Vinsensius Jemadu, remarked that the WCCN Grand Tour Series supports sports tourism.

He said sports tourism is popular, as more people are concerned about health.

Citing data, he noted that there are more women in the world, and there are more women in Indonesia as compared to men.

"Women participating in sports tourism like this can create job opportunities, where they purchase jerseys, bikes, t-shirts, and headbands," he said.

Founder of the Women's Cycling Community Nusantara, Tabitha Sumendap, said that since the pandemic, the public interest, especially among women, has increased by one thousand percent in sports.

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Translator: Farhan N, Kenzu
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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