JAKARTA, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is stepping up the promotion of sports tourism through the 2026-2027 Geopark Run Series, which will be held across four of the country's leading geoparks to support high-quality tourism development and strengthen local economies, Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said.
"The Geopark Run Series integrates running, the promotion of Indonesia's geoparks, and the empowerment of local communities with a spirit of inclusivity and sustainability," Widiyanti said on Friday.
She said sports tourism has become one of the key drivers of Indonesia's tourism industry, citing data from UN Tourism showing that the segment contributes around 10 percent of global tourism spending and is projected to grow by 17.5 percent through 2030.
The Geopark Run Series is scheduled to take place from August 2026 to April 2027 across the Ijen, Minang, Ciletuh and Belitong geopark areas.
The program aims to attract at least 10,000 participants, increase tourist arrivals and support the continued development and international profile of the sites under their UNESCO Global Geoparks designation. ■
