With its extraordinary diversity of landscapes and cultures, Indonesia has much to offer travellers; the nation’s mountains, rivers and oceans are especially well suited to outdoor adventures and extreme sports. With that in mind, tourism officials have decided to accentuate these natural features as a unique selling point in the Indonesian tourism landscape, with added emphasis on sports holidays.
The move has been inspired partly by the success of the recent Indonesian MotoGP, held in Lombok last month. The event drew international attention to Indonesia, with its mix of elite sporting competition and a beautiful location (TV coverage focused heavily on the rolling waves and mountains, showcasing both the man-made and natural attractions to be enjoyed when watching or taking part in sport in Lombok and beyond).
“The 2022 Indonesian MotoGP race event at the Mandalika Circuit set an example of good sports tourism,” said Zainudinn Amali, who is Indonesia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, during a gymnastics competition held in Yogyakarta on Saturday, 26 March. “Our weakness so far has been that we have not yet been able to make sport tourism tour packages that can be sold to both domestic and foreign tourists,” added the minister.
A key feature of these combined sports packages, beyond the location and the chosen activity, should be human resources. According to the minister, this could be an area in which Indonesia really excels, as the country is famed for its hospitality. When questioned about what gives Indonesia an advantage over other locations in terms of sports tourism, Zainudin highlighted the “welcoming attitude” of Indonesians at sporting events throughout the archipelago, adding that “friendliness is the key: if guests don’t feel that, they certainly won’t come again.”
Indonesia’s wealth of natural land- and seascapes provide a stunning backdrop for sporting holidays. As one of the largest DMCs nationwide, Panorama Destination can arrange snorkelling and diving trips to some of the world’s finest dive sites, set up cycling trips through rice fields and volcanoes, set up surfing and water sports adventures on beautiful beaches, or provide golf getaways to international-standard greens.
Combined with cultural exploration and attentive bespoke travel support, Panorama Destination tour packages combine the warmth of an Indonesian welcome with world-famous sporting events and adventures in the great outdoors. With so many locations and activities to choose from, and with added government investment expected in the sector, sports tourism in Indonesia is set for a podium finish in the months ahead.
