Connecting Culture and Tourism Leveraging Traditional Sports Events to Enhance Visitor Experience in West Bandung Regency, Indonesia
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Submitted
30 August 2026
Published
21 October 2026
Keywords:
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Sport Tourism, Traditional Sports, Cultural-Based Events, Destination Branding, Cultural Preservation
Abstract
Traditional sports and games represent a vital component of cultural heritage while offering strategic opportunities for tourism development. In West Bandung Regency, indigenous traditional games contain both competitive and recreational values that can be leveraged into cultural-based events and hallmark attractions within the growing sport tourism sector. This qualitative study examines how traditional sports overseen by KORMI such as Hadangan, Egrang, and Tarompah Panjang can be institutionalized into structured tourism events to enhance visitor experiences and strengthen regional destination branding. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, direct observations, and document analysis. The findings indicate that traditional sports festivals possess multidimensional value, serving recreational, competitive, and cultural preservation functions. Moving beyond passive spectatorship, transitioning to active visitor participation through interactive trial zones and gamification creates memorable emotional connections for tourists. Furthermore, a balanced governance model that separates athletic selection (Invitasi) from open, mass-oriented festivals ensures sustainable youth regeneration alongside effective tourism packaging. Multi-stakeholder collaborations involving local government, educational institutions, private partners, and preservation communities are crucial to overcoming execution challenges, such as venue integration and calendar inclusion. The study concludes that moving from event-based entertainment toward an integrated strategy connects cultural preservation, community empowerment, and destination branding, positioning West Bandung Regency as a distinctive destination offering authentic cultural-based events.
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O’Sullivan, D., & Jackson, M. J. (2002). Festival tourism: A contributor to sustainable local economic development? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 10(4), 325–342. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580208667171
Preuss, H. (2007). The conceptualisation and measurement of mega sport event legacies. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 12(3–4), 207–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/14775080701736957
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Triansyah, A. (2023). Pengetahuan peserta didik di Kota Pontianak terhadap permainan rakyat dan olahraga tradisional. Riyadhoh: Jurnal Pendidikan Olahraga, 6(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/10.31602/rjpo.v6i1.10091
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Legal Documents & Web Resources
Astana Times. (2024, July 15). Astana to welcome 100,000 tourists during Fifth World Nomad Games. https://astanatimes.com/2024/07/astana-to-welcome-100000-tourists-during-fifth-world-nomad-games/
Atlas Mongolia Travel. (n.d.). Naadam Festival statistics. https://atlasmongoliatravel.com/naadam-festival-statistics/
Jurnal Analisis Pos. (2023, June 27). Bupati Bandung Barat gelar Festival Olahraga Tradisional. https://www.japos.co/2023/06/27/bupati-bandung-barat-gelar-festival-olahraga-tradisional/
Republik Indonesia. (2005). Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 3 Tahun 2005 tentang Sistem Keolahragaan Nasional. Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2005 Nomor 89.
Shafiq, M. (2019, July 9). Three-day Shandur Polo Festival concludes with record 40,000 visitors. Arab News PK. https://www.arabnews.pk/pakistan/three-day-shandur-polo-festival-concludes-with-record-40000-visitors-1523286
Xinhua. (2024, July 6). Chinese traditional sports gain popularity among youth. Xinhua Net. https://english.news.cn/20260706/c129654761be4a2fafd3ea4327a4c203/c.html
Das, S., Nayak, J., & Naik, B. (2023). An impact study on COVID-19 and tourism sustainability: Intelligent solutions, issues and future challenges. World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, 19(1/2), 92–120. https://doi.org/10.1504/WRSTSD.2023.127268
Evans, G. (2003). Hard-branding the cultural city—from Prado to Prada. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 27(2), 417–440. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.00455
Getz, D. (1991). Festivals, special events, and tourism. Van Nostrand Reinhold.
Getz, D. (2008). Event tourism: Definition, evolution, and research. Tourism Management, 29(3), 403–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2007.07.017
Giango, M. K., Hintapan, R., Suson, M., Batican, I., Quiño, L., Capuyan, L., Anoos, J. M., Batoon, J., Aro, J. L., Maturan, F., Yamagishi, K., Gonzales, G., Burdeos, A., & Ocampo, L. (2022). Local support on sports tourism development: An integration of emotional solidarity and social exchange theory. Sustainability, 14(19), Article 12898. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912898
Gibson, H. (1998). Sport tourism: A critical analysis of research. Sport Management Review, 1(1), 45–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1441-3523(98)70099-3
Guntoro, T. S., Putra, M. F. P., Nurhidayah, D., Sutoro, S., Sinaga, E., Sianga, F. S. G., & Wattiheluw, M. J. (2023). The design of contextual domain tourism sports through traditional sports in Jayapura Indonesia. Retos, 52, 164–170. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v52.101626
Gursoy, D., Kim, K., & Uysal, M. (2004). Perceived impacts of festivals and special events by organizers: An extension and validation. Tourism Management, 25(2), 171–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(03)00092-X
Higham, J., & Hinch, T. (2009). Sport and tourism: Globalization, mobility and identity. Butterworth-Heinemann.
Irfan, M., Harahap, A. S., Usman, K., Aprial M., B., & Ilham. (2023). Development of traditional sports-based through educational tourism model: Edu Ortrad as a sports industry model. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 11(2), 411–417. https://doi.org/10.13189/saj.2023.110218
Knott, B., Fyall, A., & Jones, I. (2015). The nation branding opportunities provided by a sport mega-event: South Africa and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 4(1), 46–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2014.11.001
Lee, C.-K., & Taylor, T. (2005). Critical reflections on the economic impact assessment of a mega-event: The case of 2002 FIFA World Cup. Tourism Management, 26(4), 595–603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2004.03.002
Litvin, S. W., & Fetter, E. (2006). Can a festival be too successful? A review of Spoleto, USA. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 18(1), 41–49. https://doi.org/10.1108/09596110610641975
Liu, C., & Yang, N. (2024). A logical rationale for sports tourism to help rural revitalization under integrated transfer learning strategy. Applied Mathematics and Nonlinear Sciences, 9(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.2478/amns-2024-0497
Liu, Y. D. (2014). Cultural events and cultural tourism development: Lessons from the European Capitals of Culture. European Planning Studies, 22(3), 498–514. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2012.752442
Martins, R., Pereira, E., Rosado, A., Marôco, J., McCullough, B., & Mascarenhas, M. (2022). Understanding spectator sustainable transportation intentions in international sport tourism events. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 30(8), 1972–1991. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1991936
Oklobdžija, M. (2015). The role of special events in destination branding. BizInfo (Blace), 6(2), 83–97. https://doi.org/10.5937/bizinfo1502083O
Olsen, D. (2010). Cultural heritage and tourism in the developing world: A regional perspective. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 5(3), 251–252. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743873X.2010.490089
O’Sullivan, D., & Jackson, M. J. (2002). Festival tourism: A contributor to sustainable local economic development? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 10(4), 325–342. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580208667171
Preuss, H. (2007). The conceptualisation and measurement of mega sport event legacies. Journal of Sport & Tourism, 12(3–4), 207–228. https://doi.org/10.1080/14775080701736957
Rein, I., & Shields, B. (2007). Place branding sports: Strategies for differentiating emerging, transitional, negatively viewed and newly industrialised nations. Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, 3(1), 73–85. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.pb.6000049
Reyhan, M., Fauzi, G., Putra Firdaus, H., Andhini, K. P., Ikhsan, A. N., Dela, A., Pratiwi, R., Hidayah, A. N., & Pramudya, A. H. (2023). Efektifitas olahraga tradisional dalam meningkatkan kebugaran dan minat olahraga mahasiswa: Studi kasus mahasiswa di Sekaran Gunungpati. Jurnal Analis, 2(2), 100–107.
Ritchie, J. R. B. (1984). Assessing the impact of hallmark events: Conceptual and research issues. Journal of Travel Research, 23(1), 2–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/004728758402300102
Ritchie, J. R. B., & Beliveau, D. (1974). Hall-mark events: An evaluation of a strategic response to seasonality in the travel market. Journal of Travel Research, 13(2), 14–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/004728757401300202
Šuligoj, M., & Kennell, J. (2022). The role of dark commemorative and sport events in peaceful coexistence in the Western Balkans. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 30(2–3), 408–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1938090
Triansyah, A. (2023). Pengetahuan peserta didik di Kota Pontianak terhadap permainan rakyat dan olahraga tradisional. Riyadhoh: Jurnal Pendidikan Olahraga, 6(1), 43–52. https://doi.org/10.31602/rjpo.v6i1.10091
Xing, X., & Chalip, L. (2006). Effects of hosting a sport event on destination brand: A test of co-branding and match-up models. Sport Management Review, 9(1), 49–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1441-3523(06)70019-5
Legal Documents & Web Resources
Astana Times. (2024, July 15). Astana to welcome 100,000 tourists during Fifth World Nomad Games. https://astanatimes.com/2024/07/astana-to-welcome-100000-tourists-during-fifth-world-nomad-games/
Atlas Mongolia Travel. (n.d.). Naadam Festival statistics. https://atlasmongoliatravel.com/naadam-festival-statistics/
Jurnal Analisis Pos. (2023, June 27). Bupati Bandung Barat gelar Festival Olahraga Tradisional. https://www.japos.co/2023/06/27/bupati-bandung-barat-gelar-festival-olahraga-tradisional/
Republik Indonesia. (2005). Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 3 Tahun 2005 tentang Sistem Keolahragaan Nasional. Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2005 Nomor 89.
Shafiq, M. (2019, July 9). Three-day Shandur Polo Festival concludes with record 40,000 visitors. Arab News PK. https://www.arabnews.pk/pakistan/three-day-shandur-polo-festival-concludes-with-record-40000-visitors-1523286
Xinhua. (2024, July 6). Chinese traditional sports gain popularity among youth. Xinhua Net. https://english.news.cn/20260706/c129654761be4a2fafd3ea4327a4c203/c.html
Authors
Sari, P. R., & Sades, S. (2026). Connecting Culture and Tourism: Leveraging Traditional Sports Events to Enhance Visitor Experience in West Bandung Regency, Indonesia. International Journal of Sustainable Competitiveness on Tourism, 5(02), 210–225. https://doi.org/10.34013/ijscot.v5i02.2907
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