International Swimmers Set to Compete in Bali in June 2026
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- Bali will host the 12th Asian Open Water Swimming Championship 2026 in Jimbaran Bay, gathering top athletes from 17 countries and strengthening Indonesia’s sport tourism efforts.
- The event includes both professional and amateur competitions and is expected to increase tourist visits and support local businesses across Bali.
- The Tourism Ministry hopes the championship’s success will inspire similar sport tourism initiatives in destinations such as Lombok, Belitung, and Labuan Bajo.
Jakarta – The Ministry of Tourism has announced that the 12th Asian Open Water Swimming Championship 2026 will take place from June 13 to 15, 2026, in the waters of Jimbaran Bay, Bali, centered at the InterContinental Bali Resort.
Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said the continental-level open water swimming event will gather elite athletes from 17 countries.
“This event also serves as a key platform for sport tourism, in line with the Ministry of Tourism’s flagship agenda for 2026, which emphasizes high-quality tourism,” the minister said in a statement confirmed on Friday.
The 12th Asian Open Water Swimming Championship 2026 will feature the main competition for professional swimmers, as well as the A.Stream OWS Series aimed at amateur swimmers, sports community members, and the general public.
Kiki Taher, chair of the organizing committee for both the championship and the A.Stream OWS Series 2026, said the event is expected to generate positive momentum for Indonesia’s sport tourism sector.
“We believe that with strong government support, especially from the Ministry of Tourism, this early step will grow into a major driver for advancing Indonesia’s sport tourism industry,” Kiki said.
The hosting of a high-level Asian sporting event is projected to attract more international visitors, extend their average length of stay, and stimulate growth in accommodation, transportation, and culinary businesses.
The tourism minister also expressed hope that the championship’s success in Bali will inspire organizers to host similar events in other priority tourist destinations such as Lombok, Belitung, and Labuan Bajo.
Sport tourism is considered to have strong potential to significantly boost Indonesia’s broader tourism sector.
According to UN Tourism data, global sport tourism spending accounted for an estimated 10 percent of total tourism expenditure in 2023. The figure is projected to rise to 17.5 percent between 2023 and 2030.
Indonesianpost.com | Antara
