Fornas VIII 2025 Successfully Strengthens Gili Trawangan To Become A Sport Tourism Destination

Fornas VIII 2025 strengthens Gili Trawangan as a sport tourism destination (doc. Fornas VIII).

JAKARTA The VIII 2025 National Community Sports Festival (Fornas) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) further strengthens Gili Trawangan as a sport tourism destination that is ready to unite sports, natural beauty, and local economics in one event.

One of the centers of attention is Wah Resort Gili Trawangan, who appears as the main venue for stand-up middle (SUP) and recreational fishing (APRI).

Being right on the beach, Wah Resort is not just a competition arena. This venue also combines technical readiness, tropical panorama, and classy facilities that provide different experiences for participants and spectators.

From a large start/finis area, direct access to the sea, to accommodation services and VIP guest banquets, Wah Resort proves the standard sports tourism event that deserves to be pitted on the international stage.

This beachfront venue is not just a competition location but also a symbol of the synergy between tourism, sports, and the economy. This place has a strategic location that facilitates the transition from land to sea for athletes and committees.

"Participants must quickly adapt to the condition of Gili Trawangan waves, which is the main challenge," said Herianto, who is in charge of Inorga SUP Fornas VIII.

The referee in the Inorga stand-up middle competition, Andi Yulianto, said that this venue had also been filled with various facilities that were quite good.

"In my opinion, from standing up middle sports activities, quite smoothly, the facilities provided have facilitated enough competitions. Likewise, the venue (Wah Resort) is very suitable and beautiful for this sport to be held," he said.

Furthermore, he said that the character of the beach, waves, and the community was very supportive.

"I think this is one of the most appropriate venues for the International class competition, which is usually Sup Id (Stand Up Payddle Indonesia) held in several previous regions of Indonesia," he said.

In addition to the main venue, several accommodations in Gili Trawangan also support the event ecosystem, such as the Gili Trawangan Frii Resort, which is located on the west side of the island. This place is known as the tropical spring park and the spectacular sunset view of the beachfront.

Then there is also the Jambuluwuk Oceano Gili Trawangan Resort. This is a resort with a unique tropical design in the form of a barn, has a private beach, as well as snorkeling and live music facilities.

In addition to strengthening Gili Trawangan as a sport tourism destination, Fornas VIII is also a driving engine for the people's economy.

It was recorded that the turnover of NTB money during the Fornas VIII was estimated at Rp100130 billion. It comes from the accommodation, transportation, MSMEs, culinary, and Gili Trawangan tourist destinations.

Hotel occupancy in Lombok and around Gili also jumped by 90 percent or more, even full booked since the D-10 event. The demand for sea transportation such as fast boats rose by 200 percent.

The Governor of NTB, Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, stated that they had very mature preparations to welcome the biennial community sports event.

"We are not only preparing venues and facilities, what we are preparing are community smiles, cultural friendliness, and the spirit of the best service," he said.

Furthermore, he emphasized that NTB is very ready for other international events after the success of holding the 2025 Fornas VIII which was attended by tens of thousands of participants.

"Believe me what we are doing, we created a strong foundation for NTB in the future to be one of our favorite destinations for international events, including multi-events," he said.

Gili Trawangan Island in NTB is a leading tourist destination. The area has an exotic beach so that most of the people rely on the tourism sector as their economic support.

The exotic island covering an area of approximately 340 hectares with a coastline of about 7.5 km offers fine white sand, clear blue sea, and stunning panoramas and sunsets. In addition, coral reefs rich in turtles and tropical fish make it a snorkeling and diving paradise.

Gili Trawangan is noted to be free from motorized vehicles so that it provides a relaxed and environmentally friendly atmosphere.

The vehicles allowed on the island are bicycles and cidomo (a traditional Lombok transportation tool that is pulled by horses, similar to wagons or andongs in Java, but using used car wheels). Another option is to walk.

The accommodation also varies, from simple homestays to luxury beach resorts. At night, cafes and beachfront restaurants are crowded with fresh seafood and music entertainment, making Gili Trawangan an unforgettable holiday destination.