IO, Lombok – The Gili Trawangan Festival is routinely held in the region of the same name in North Lombok. It showcases the beauties and culture of Gili Trawangan and is meant to help boost tourist visits from all over the world. This year, supporters of the event include such prestigious agencies as the Gili Trawangan Entrepreneurs’ Association (Asosiasi Pengusaha Gili Trawangan – “APGT”), the Regional Tourism Promotion Agency (Badan Promosi Pariwisata Daerah – “BPPD”), the Indonesian National Sports Committee (Komite Olahraga Nasional Indonesia – “KONI”), and the Culture and Tourism Office (Dinas Budaya dan Pariwisata – “Disbidpar”) of the Regency of North Lombok (Kabupaten Lombok Utara – “KLU”).
The Gili Strong Triathlon, run on 19 October 2019, was one of the events that make up the entirety of Gili Festival 2019. Other events include a Fun Run (19/10/2019), semetian or rattan stave sparring (20/10/2019), fire dance competition (21/10/2019), mixer competition (22/10), and the Rebo Bontong Ceremony (23/10/2019).
The KONI of West Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Barat – “NTB”) supports the sporting part of the festival, the Gili Strong Triathlon. KONI NTB Chairman H. Andy Hadianto SH expressed his support for the event, which was held on Saturday (19/10/2019), declaring that the triathlon would in time become widespread nationally, internationally, and even globally.
Andy Hadianto has a lot of experience with sport tourism events like this triathlon, because he frequently participates in triathlons himself, all over Indonesia. It is unsurprising that he immediately expressed his support when he heard that a triathlon is being held in Gili Trawangan. He believes that the triathlon would be challenging and salable. He thinks that the level of competition can be raised. “The information that I receive is that the triathlon is frequently held in Gili Trawangan, but it is not too popular outside the region. Therefore, as a triathlon fan, I was moved to help in order to get the Gili Trawangan triathlon to gather more popularity nationally, and later on globally,” Andy Hadianto stated during the Gili Trawangan Festival 2019’s organizer press conference, which was held at the KONI NTB Secretariat Office on Wednesday (16/10/2019).
Meanwhile, Chairman of North Lombok BPPD Lalu Suratman expressed his readiness to organize the Gili Strong Triathlon and make it a success. On behalf of the Gili Trawangan Festival 2019 organizers, he promised convenience and comfort of triathlon participants during the competition. “We have prepared everything. One thing for sure, Gili Trawangan is ready to hold this triathlon,” he said.
The Head of the North Lombok Regency’s Disbidpar, Vidi Ekakusuma, approves of the event performed by the collaboration between the KLU and local tourism industries. “Insha Allah, if Allah wills it, we would be able to turn the event into a national one. It is a medium for promoting the tourism potential of North Lombok: other than its amazing natural beauty, North Lombok also offers activities that can generate new experiences for tourists,” he said.
The Gili Trawangan Festival 2019 was held from Saturday, 19 October 2019 to Wednesday, 23 October 2019. On the last day, the event will be closed with a local ritual, the Rebo Bontong (“Final Wednesday”) Ritual, which includes the Mandik Safar (“Safar Bath”). This is a cleansing ritual held on the final Wednesday of the Islamic month of Muharram, wherein everyone takes a bath together in order to cleanse themselves body and soul and prepare themselves for the subsequent month, the Safar, which is believed to be a month of temptations and bad luck.