Bali to have sports stadium, trade centre

BALI wants to diversify its offerings beyond nature and culture, with an interest in sporting events and creative industries.

Bali vice governor I Ketut Sudikerta said: “Bali’s culture and nature are well known all over the world, but we need to have more products to attract more travellers here.”

To develop sports tourism and the creative industries, a trade centre and sports stadium is on the provincial government’s agenda.

Sudikerta said the trade centre would house the creative businesses not only from Bali but also from around the country.

“We all know that Bali is the gateway to Indonesia so it is an ideal place to provide a (window) to showcase the creative industries in Indonesia,” he added. “With the sports stadium, we will be able to host big sporting events like the ASEAN Games or soccer tournaments that will not only draw sporting participants but also national and international spectators.”

While feasibility studies are being conducted for the two projects, Sudikerta said both would be included in the 2016-2017 development programmes.

Bali Tourism Services head, Ida Bagus Kade Subiksu, said: “We already have cycling, golfing and marine sports tourism products. We have also hosted tennis tournaments here, which we need to develop further.”

However, Asia World Indonesia managing director, Renato Domini, pointed out: “Bali’s immediate need is infrastructure. Today, it is a challenge to go from one place to another; this will be even more (challenging) with sporting events, which attract a lot of people at one time.”

Mahagiri Villas Sanur general manager, Agus Suardana, said: “A new initiative on product development is always welcome. However, if Bali were to build a stadium, it had better have some kind of (organisation) that will always seek events to maximise the use of the stadium, so as not to waste the money spent on building the venue.”

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