Sleman Temple Run 2026 Strengthens Sports Tourism Potential Across Cultural Heritage Areas in East Sleman
The international-level trail running event , Sleman Temple Run (STR) 2026, returns on Sunday, August 23, 2026. This running event, which crosses cultural heritage sites in the Prambanan area, Sleman, is one of the promotional strategies to increase tourist visits to Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta.
This activity is organized by the Sleman Regency Tourism Office in collaboration with Trail Runners Yogyakarta, targeting the number of participants to reach around 1.000 runners, both from within and outside the country, who will be divided into three distance categories, namely 7K, 15K, and 30K.
Carrying the theme Running Around Temples, this trail run event combines sports with cultural heritage in the East Sleman area, starting from Banyunibo Temple, Barong Temple, Ratu Boko Palace, Miri Temple, Gupala Statue, Ijo Temple, Riyadi Spot to Breksi Cliff.
The Regional Secretary of Sleman Regency, Abu Bakar, expressed the full support of the Sleman Regency Government for this event.
"The Sleman Regency Government fully supports this event. This activity aligns with our program to make Sleman a tourism destination and a center for the creative economy," said Abu Bakar at the STR press conference at the Sleman Regency Tourism Office in Yogyakarta on Friday (August 7, 2026).
The Head of the Sleman Regency Tourism Office, Edy Winarya, added that this event aims to encourage a healthy lifestyle while promoting the tourism and creative economy potential of Sleman Regency.
"This event is more than just a run, embracing MSMEs and the arts and culture community in the Prambanan Subdistrict. Along the route, participants will be treated to various folk performances, including Jathilan (traditional dance), traditional dance, and Karawitan (gamelan)," he explained.
Ratu Boko Palace is one of the central points of the track in the 2026 Sleman Temple Run event series, in addition, Ratu Boko Palace is also designated as the location for collecting participant numbers (BIB).
As a result, all participants first visited and got to know the Ratu Boko Palace area before taking the track the next day, making the Ratu Boko Palace site the starting point for the Sleman Temple Run series of activities, while also strengthening its position as a cultural heritage destination ready to receive large-scale visits.
Ratu Boko Palace is not only present as a destination to be visited, but also becomes part of the participants' travel experience in getting to know the cultural heritage area in East Sleman Regency.
The synergy between sports activities and cultural destinations is expected to broaden the exposure of regional destinations while encouraging more diverse and sustainable tourism experiences.
Through destination readiness and support from various parties, the 2026 Sleman Temple Run is expected to further strengthen the cultural heritage in the Prambanan and East Sleman areas as one of the potential areas for the development of cultural heritage-based sports tourism .
