Music Concerts and Sports Have Become New Instruments to Boost Indonesia's Tourism

Tourism today no longer relies solely on natural beauty or historical destinations. Across countries worldwide, music concerts, sporting competitions, and creative festivals have developed into major attractions capable of drawing thousands, even millions of tourists within a short timeframe.

This trend has also begun to receive serious attention in Indonesia. The Ministry of Tourism assesses that entertainment and sports-based events hold significant potential to attract visitors while simultaneously driving economic activity in host regions.

Discussions regarding this opportunity emerged after President Prabowo Subianto met with Rosan Roeslani, Minister of Investment and Downstream Industrialization as well as CEO of Danantara. During this meeting, one topic reviewed was the search for new economic growth sources, including through strengthening the tourism sector.

Music concerts, sporting events, and creative activities are recognised as able to create employment, attract investment, and boost grassroots community economic activity.

"These events can be sports, music, any form of activity at all — they act as pull factors to bring in both domestic and international tourists," stated Ministry of Tourism Spokesperson Nia Niscaya.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, this concept has actually been implemented for years through various initiatives under the Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) programme. This scheme serves as a mechanism to promote regional tourist destinations by hosting cultural, artistic, sporting and entertainment events.

In recent years, the global phenomenon of music tourism has grown rapidly. Large numbers of travellers willingly journey to other cities or countries purely to attend concerts by their favourite artists.

Beyond drawing event attendees, large-scale concerts also deliver wide-reaching economic benefits for the hospitality, transport, and culinary sectors, right through to local micro-businesses.

For this reason, Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has conducted a series of meetings with the Indonesian Music Promoters Association (APMI).

These discussions focus on development opportunities for concert-based tourism that can increase both domestic and international tourist arrivals.

Music is not the only segment; Sport Tourism is also valued for delivering unique visitor experiences while introducing host destinations to participants and spectators from across different regions.

Examples include running events hosted in the Mandalika area and the Geopark Run Series. These activities do not only bring sporting participants, they also attract accompanying tourists who then book accommodation, make purchases, and experience local attractions.

The economic impact of such events does not end when the activity concludes. Many host destinations gain widespread long-term exposure through social media and media coverage, which drives continued tourist visits well after the event finishes.

To solidify Indonesia's position as an international event host, the Ministry of Tourism is coordinating with relevant government ministries and institutions. A core priority of this collaboration is establishing simplified permitting processes and visa support for international artists and event participants.