The MotoGP event, held in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, contributed to a 22.29 percent increase in business in the fields of accommodation, food, and beverages. Meanwhile, the transportation business experienced a 15.36 percent growth due to the event.
The number of tourism and creative economy players also rose by 41 percent. The event also caused a drastic increase in the number of tourists visiting West Nusa Tenggara.
As for the upcoming U-17 FIFA World Cup, an economist from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) Nailul Huda stated that the turnover of money from the event could reach Rp1.02 trillion (US$66.40 million).
In addition to the income generated from ticket sales, indirect economic impacts, such as accommodation, food and beverage, MSMEs, transportation, and broadcasting, also benefit from sports tourism events.
Soft sports tourism refers to sports activities related to lifestyles or trends that everyone, including non-professional athletes, can participate in openly or publicly, such as running, cycling, or surfing.
The aspects of nature, infrastructure, and culture are essential factors in soft sports tourism.
One of the forms of soft sports tourism events is the Borobudur Marathon, which, in 2022, had involved as many as 4,600 participants.
In addition to running, the Borobudur Marathon invited runners to explore, enjoy scenic views, and sample local culinary specialties. In addition, before and after the marathon, participants could tour Borobudur Temple, Central Java, or visit museums and art galleries around the temple.
During the event, the hotel occupancy rate in the area had reached 80 percent, higher than that on regular days. Moreover, the Borobudur Marathon event served as a driving force for tourism, especially for players of MSMEs.
Potential
The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy in 2021 projected Indonesia's sports tourism value to grow to Rp18.79 trillion (around US$1.22 billion) by 2024.
The huge economic potential of sports tourism has led the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy to include sports activities in the Wonderful Indonesia Calendar of Events (CoE).
Translator: Fauzan, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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