Jakarta. Indonesia will host the 12th Asian Open Water Swimming Championship and A.STREAM Series Open Water Swimming 2026 in Jimbaran, Bali, from June 13-15, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s marine tourism profile through sports tourism and reinforce its standing as a destination for international sporting events.

The championship, organized by Akuatik Indonesia in collaboration with the International Events Division of the Tourism Ministry, is expected to attract hundreds of elite swimmers from 17 Asian countries, along with members of the region’s growing open-water swimming community.

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana described the event as one of the largest open-water swimming competitions ever staged in Indonesia and Asia.

“This event brings together Asia’s top athletes, swimming communities, and water sports enthusiasts from across the region, including participants from as far away as Iran,” Widiyanti said during a press conference in Jakarta.

She said the championship aligns with the ministry’s quality tourism strategy, which focuses on developing tourism products that generate broader economic benefits while attracting higher-value visitors.

According to Widiyanti, sports tourism has emerged as one of Indonesia’s most promising tourism segments because it not only boosts visitor arrivals but also encourages longer stays and higher spending on accommodation, transportation, food services, and local small businesses.

Citing an Expedia survey, she said 44% of travelers are willing to travel domestically or internationally to attend sporting events. She also pointed to data from UN Tourism showing that sports tourism accounted for approximately 10% of global tourism spending in 2023 and is projected to grow by 17.5% between 2023 and 2030.

Acting Deputy for Event Development at the Tourism Ministry, Hafiz Agung Rifai, said Bali was selected because of its strategic importance to Indonesia’s tourism industry.

“Bali remains one of Indonesia’s premier destinations and contributes around 53% of the country’s tourism foreign-exchange earnings,” Hafiz said.

He expressed confidence that the championship would generate economic benefits beyond the competition itself by attracting accompanying visitors, including coaches, officials, support crews, and family members.

“We hope visitors will not only come for the event but also stay longer, spend more, and explore Bali during their visit,” he said.

Previous competitions have been held in Lampung, while destinations such as Lombok and Labuan Bajo are being considered for future editions.

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