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Indonesia. The famed Borobudur Temple in Central Java is set to host the world’s largest Hash run in 2012 after winning an international bid in Malaysia.

“We are going to host the 2012 World Hash House Harriers, or Interhash, and through this major sporting event we expect to attract 7,000 to 10,000 tourists to Borobudur,” Sapta Nirwandar, marketing director at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said on Thursday.

The event, which will be held May 25-27 in 2012, is being organized by the Hash House Harriers, an international group of running and clubs.

Sapta said sports-related events were always effective in attracting tourists, especially from overseas.

“It’s a very good way to promote a country’s destination spots. For instance, thousands of people flocked to South Africa for the World Cup, and Malaysia has been a tourism attraction because of the Sepang Formula 1 circuit,” he said.

Purnomo Siswo Prasetyo, chief executive of Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan and Ratu Boko, the company that manages the temple, said Interhash could help Borobudur achieve its target of 10 million tourists over the next five years.

In 2009 at least 3.4 million tourists, both domestic and foreign, visited the temple, and that figure is expected to rise to 4.7 million this year. As of the end of July, more than 60 percent of the target had been achieved.

Liem Chie An, chairman of the Magelang, Central Java, Hash House Harriers chapter, said Interhash was basically a scavenger hunt in which the participants — or Hashers — would travel through villages around Borobudur to find clues that would point them toward their final destination.

He said it was a major accomplishment that Borobudur won last month’s bid in Malaysia, particularly because lots of people knew little about the temple.

“It’s quite surprising so many people haven’t even heard of Borobudur. That’s exactly why we need to set the bar high, so foreign tourists will come back,” he said.

Liem said there were nearly 500 Hash clubs in Indonesia but that this would be the first time the country had the chance to host an Interhash.

“Bali has attempted to host the event three times in the past six years, but was always turned down due to security reasons. Thank God Borobudur got the honor to host this event,” he said.

Liem said that every participant would be required to pay $100 to take part in the event.

“Usually they will stay for at least two to three weeks and they will pay for their own expenses, which will be good for the tourism business,” he said, adding that most Hashers were businesspeople, lawyers and even politicians, and that they would likely bring their families to the event.