Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia’s Tourism Ministry has selected 110 cultural and tourism events from across the archipelago to be included in the 2025 Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) calendar, Deputy Tourism Minister Ni Luh Puspa said on Sunday.
“These 110 events under the ‘Event by Indonesia’ program are designed to stimulate regional economies, showcase local attractions, and preserve cultural heritage,” Puspa said in an official statement from Jakarta.
The selected events underwent a rigorous screening process between August and December 2024, involving administrative checks, presentations, and interviews by an independent panel of curators. The final lineup covers 37 provinces, stretching from Aceh to Papua.
Ni Luh said that based on the Ministry of Tourism’s mid-year performance report released on Saturday (Aug. 16), a total of 46 Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) programs had been held across 25 provinces in Indonesia as of August 4, 2025.
According to ministry data, 42 of those events drew 5.07 million visitors and generated an estimated 463.07 billion rupiah ($28 million) in economic transactions. The events also engaged more than 6,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs), involved over 68,000 artists, and created roughly 60,000 jobs.
Currently, two more events are underway, with 58 still to take place before the end of the year. “We hope the entire 2025 KEN series will serve as a driver for tourism activation and deliver broad economic impact,” Puspa added.
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Among the highlights of this year’s program is the inclusion of the recently viral tradition Pacu Jalur, a centuries-old boat racing tradition from Kuantan Singingi Regency in Riau Province.
The festival originated as a celebration of Islamic holidays before later being adopted during Dutch colonial times and eventually becoming part of Indonesia’s Independence Day festivities.
The 2025 Pacu Jalur Festival is set to take place at Tepian Narosa in Teluk Kuantan, Kuantan Singingi, from August 20 to 24, and is expected to draw both domestic and international attention as part of Indonesia’s cultural tourism push.
(Raidi/Agung)
