Exploring the potential of natural resources and cultural heritage in Karimun regency (Indonesia): the road to sports tourism development

Introduction: The problem in this study is that there is still a lot of potential for sports tourism that has not been developed and utilized properly, this is because there is no effective activity program related to sports tourism. Objective: The purpose of this research is to analyze the potential of Natural and Cultural Resources for the development of sports tourism in Karimun Regency, Indonesia. Methodology: This research is a type of qualitative research. The focus of this research is 1) analyzing the potential of natural resources including the physical state of nature, natural advantages, and natural uniqueness, for the development of sports tourism, 2) analyzing cultural potential including Karimun culture and uniqueness for the development of sports tourism, and 3) analyzing government support and policies for the development of sports tourism. Results: The results showed that Karimun Regency has great potential to develop natural and cultural resource-based sports tourism. Through good management and appropriate policy support, sports tourism can provide significant economic, social, and cultural benefits to local communities, while promoting Karimun Regency as a leading sustainable tourism destination. Statistical analysis in this qualitative research provides an overview of the distribution of themes that help in designing sports tourism development strategies in Karimun Regency. Conclusions: This finding concludes that it shows that each tourist attraction has a distinctiveness that can be positioned according to the dominant theme that emerges. With a data-driven approach and the involvement of local communities, this strategy can strengthen cultural identity, expand tourism markets, and support sustainable regional economic development.