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Sport Tourism - A New Era In Travel
2005-08-22
[The Echo Magazine]
London literally buzzed with people shouting, cheering and clapping when the city was formally elected the venue for the 2012 summer Olympics. A big international sporting event is a blessing for any city; it is a means of introducing themselves to the rest of the world. For Bali, an international sporting event, such as the Olympic, is still a far-off dream.
Four years ago, in 2001, Bali, for the first time, hosted an international women's tennis tournament staged at the Grand Hyatt Resort Nusa Dua. The Wismilak International tournament drew world circuit players to the island. Bali means tourism, and tennis is a sport, resulting in the fact that sport tourism is quite a compatible concept.
This year the tournament is in its 12th year, and has achieved a well-deserved reputation, from top players and spectators alike, as being an organized event that offers an excellent level of hospitality. Visiting international tennis players have the opportunity to participate in the tournament as well as wind down and relax with recreational activities such as sailing, spa treatments and cooking classes.
Since its debut in 1994, the Wismilak International, which is part of the worldwide Sony Erricson WTA tour, has been held in Surabaya, Kuala Lumpur and now Bali. Initially the event was named the "Wismilak Open", before changing its name to the "Wismilak International" in 1996. The WTA Wismilak is still the largest tournament on the WTA calendar in South East Asia.
Sporting activities and events entice people to travel. The concept of health through physical activity for all age levels has sparked renewed interest in participation. By combining Bali and tennis, the tournament has also brought about a new milestone that connects tourism and sport in Bali.
Bali has always been an island where sport and tourism has experienced a harmonious relationship, especially at the beach between surfers and would-be surfers, locals and visitors. Waves and surfers have long supported the development of Kuta beach making it a wildly popular icon amongst international surfers: amateurs or professionals, advanced board riders or rookies. Surfing connects people from many different backgrounds as they are united by their common love for the ocean. This is in line with the vision of some of the islands the more serious leaders within the tourism industry: tourism plays an important role in promoting domestic, national, international culture, promoting friendship and understanding among people and communities of different backgrounds. In the domain of sport, it can be likened to the universal spirit of the Olympics movement.
|  Tourists from two politically opposing countries are able to share a dinner table in a restaurant away from home; players from opposing countries shake hands, exchange smiles and show their mutual respect of each other before and after playing their game. Together sport and tourism respectively have the ability to encourage people to put aside their differences and strengthen the bonds of friendship.
The term "sport tourism" was first used in the late 1960s to describe the special form of tourism which was combined with sporting activities.
Facilities
Some may say that tourism is about recreational activities, while sport is about championships. In Bali however, it was initially recreational surfing that created surfing champions of both regional and more recently international status. Bali and its surrounding islands provide some of the most perfect wave conditions for surfers to train and develop their skills. But we must not forget that it was in fact visiting tourists that first introduced the sport of surfing to the island.
Sport tourism is actually a golden opportunity for Bali. The island is relatively unpolluted with a long beautiful coastline and stunning scenic landscapes. Bali offers the perfect environment to host certain international sporting events. Surfing, windsurfing and fitness are all part of this trend. Tennis, golf, cycling and rafting can also be included. A local cigarette company, Djie Sam Soe, organized a successful cycling event last year. The event provided worldwide audiences with magnificent images of panorama throughout Java as well as Bali on the end leg of the race. All along the roadside to the finishing line in Denpasar, enthusiastic crowds cheered on the competing cyclists giving some much needed support and motivation.
Urban culture is particularly conscious about fitness and this obsession contributes greatly to the current trend in the tourism industry. Visitors these days not only travel for the attractions of traditional culture, many carefully choose their holiday destinations because of the sporting activities that are made available.
For recreational purposes and of course hosting championship events, there is the need for sporting facilities. Some are provided quite simply by Mother Nature, whilst others are man-made. In Bali keen golfers are lucky to enjoy some outstanding facilities and the island is equipped with several luxurious 18-hole world class courses; Lombok and Java also have some well established courses. In terms of marketing strategies, many hotels brochures proudly reveal just how close they are to a golf course, even though it is not part of their infrastructure. Distance to the golf course can actually prove to be a hotels major selling point as for avid players a round of two is the ultimate holiday activity.
Golf as an activity is a matter of style; it has become a lifestyle commodity of the business world. Business meetings, lobbying and networking are all part of the game. By ironically, despite the number of golf courses in Indonesia it is a game played only by an elite minority. The level of golf facilities in Indonesia, particularly in Bali, by far outclasses the standard of their golf players. The world is still waiting for a golf champion from Indonesia.
"Sport activities have become an important aspect of the modern lifestyle," says Stefanus HK, Operations Manager of Gelora Djaja, a Surabaya based company that is partly responsible for WTA Wismilak becoming an important annual event in Bali on the international tennis calendar.
When the first WTA Wismilak was held in Surabaya, 1994, the singles winner was Elena Wagner (Germany), while Yayuk Basuki/Romana Tedjakusuma (Indonesia) won the doubles event. In the first WTA tournament held in Bali, Indonesia's Angelique Wijaya beat South Africa's Joannete Kruger. Angie was also involved in possibly the greatest match in the history of the tournament when she played young Su Wei Hsieh from Taiwan in the semifinals. Last year, Angie only reached the quarter final.
Travelling and sport are two faces of one global coin. With so many international sporting events to be attended, travelling has become compulsory for any internationally reputed sport player. Playing is touring, that's why the WTA series is actually called the WTA tour. There are also Professional Golf Association (PGA) tours. This month players maybe in Adelaide, next month in Monte Carlo, Hawaii or Bali: sport has become as globalized as Hollywood movies.
Stefanus however, revealed another interesting point. "Sport celebrities are currently as popular as movie stars." Athletes invite the same attention as well known actors. Sharapova's beauty is comparable to that of a super model or Hollywood maiden; Tiger Wood is as stylish as Eddy Murphy. This is another aspect that attacts large spectator audiences and media coverage. "International sporting events almost always gains worldwide media coverage." The destination invariable benefits from a boost in popularity throughout the event. During the WTA Wismilak tournament, for instance, Bali is mentioned everyday in publications all over the world. "Every newspaper in the world has sport section, it helps to promote the island," said Stefanus.
Stefanus revealed that Indonesia, particularly Bali, has a wide range of facilities to develop sport tourism. "Sport and tourism are two very big service industries, which work profitably together."
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