JAKARTA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is set to host at least four international sport events this year, which is expected to attract more foreign tourists and promote its tourism destinations, the country's Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno said on Wednesday.
The closest event is the Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship, an international motorboat racing competition for powerboats, which will be held in Toba Lake, Sumatra Island, on Feb. 24-26. Uno said the event was expected to help promote the Lake Toba tourism site and other tourism destinations in North Sumatra province.
From May 20 to June 11, Indonesia will host the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. According to reports from Indonesia's Youth and Sports Ministry, the tournaments would take place in six stadiums located in six different cities, capital city Jakarta, Bandung in West Java, Solo in Central Java, Surabaya in East Java, Palembang in South Sumatra, and Bali resort island.
The 2023 World Beach Games, officially known as the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games, will also be held in Indonesia. The international beach and water multi-sport event is scheduled to be held in Bali on Aug. 5-12.
Indonesia, along with Japan and the Philippines, will host the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup from August 25 to September 10. This will be the first time in history for the World Cup to be hosted by multiple nations in Asia.
"We hope these events can encourage foreign tourists to stay longer in our tourism destinations, which then can accelerate our economic recovery from the tourism sector. The events will also become a momentum for us to show the world our capability in hosting global-scale events," Uno said after a meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta.
Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, has set an ambitious goal of attracting up to 7.4 million foreign tourists throughout 2023. ■