JAKARTA The National Public Sports Festival (Fornas) VIII 2025 has succeeded in controlling the popularity of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) as a new sport tourism destination.
A seasoned NTB line dance athlete, Listya Ningrum, said NTB's decision to host the biennial public sporting event was very appropriate.
"That's right, NTB's decision to host Fornas VIII. Many NTB athletes can experience appearing at national events," said Ningrum, who won a silver medal in the 2023 West Java VII National Fornas.
NTB's efforts to make sports an entry point for tourism development are taken seriously. They succeeded in combining the strengths of community sports with their distinctive natural and local cultural potentials.
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Fornas VIII has succeeded in showing that people's sports can become a new magnet for tourism based on sport tourism. The diversity of local culture and natural beauty are a natural stage that strengthens its appeal.
The Governor of NTB, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, said that Fornas VIII is proof of NTB's readiness to host a bigger event, both nationally and internationally.
"This is the starting point. We want the world to see NTB as a province that is friendly, healthy, creative, and ready to hold a world-class event."
"Everyone present here can directly feel the beauty of our nature, a culture that lives, and the spirit of gotong royong for the people of NTB," he said.
Fornas is actually not just an achievement. For ordinary people like Reni Tampubulon and her sister Margaretha Tampubolon who were born and raised in Ampenan This event became their opportunity to go home.
"I am happy with Fornas VIII in NTB. So, I took the children to the line dance competition as well as went home to their parents and met you," said Reni, who now lives in Yogyakarta.
The economic turnover during the implementation of Fornas VIII is also very massive. A jersey trader named Anis, for example, seemed to have collapsed due to high demand for his merchandise.
"My jersey trading is selling well. 40 sacks have been sold out. The number of jerseys sold exceeds that of Fornas VII in West Java," he said.
Fornas VIII participants continued to arrive until Tuesday, July 29, 2025. There were 100 participants from the Banten contingent and the Tangerang Regency contingent entering via Soekarno Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten.
Tangerang dispatched 122 athletes and officials. This number is greater than the 2023 Fornas VII in West Java, which is only 70 people.
"We are leaving in stages. Now athletes and officials who will appear for traditional sports haveh, enggrang, tug of war, pillow bang, beam run, dagongan, and long pumped," said the Head of the Tangerang Regency Fornas VIII Contingent, Budi Marwantho.
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