Buleleng - Two excellent festivals, Pemuteran Bay Festival and Lovina Festival, are officially included in the 2025 Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) announced by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf RI).
This success is a strategic step in strengthening the promotion of Buleleng Regency's tourist destinations, which continue to grow rapidly after the pandemic.
“Since 2023 and 2024, we have continued to hold the Lovina Festival and propose it to be included in KEN. Finally, this year the Lovina Festival successfully joined the program, following the Pemuteran Bay Festival which has routinely participated in it,” said the Head of the Buleleng Regency Tourism Office, Gede Dody Sukma Oktiva Askara through a press statement on Friday (28/2/2025).
KEN is an annual program of the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy since 2021, aiming to introduce Indonesian tourism destinations through cultural, arts, culinary and carnival festivals.
The Pemuteran Bay Festival is scheduled to take place in November 2025, while the Lovina Festival will be held on July 16-24, 2025. Participation in KEN further strengthens Buleleng's position as a leading destination rich in culture and natural beauty.
To increase the attractiveness of the festival, the Buleleng Tourism Office collaborates with several other regions, such as:
Banyuwangi - Showcasing Gandrung Dance.
West Lombok - Maritime tourism promotion.
Ponorogo - Reog Ponorogo Show.
Local MSMEs - Regional culinary and handicraft stands.
“We want this festival to not only showcase Buleleng's culture, but also invite other regions to make it more attractive to tourists,” Dody explained.
Through various flagship festivals, Buleleng targets 1.7 million tourist visits by 2025, consisting of 700,000 foreign tourists and 1,000,000 domestic tourists.
With a broader promotion strategy, it is expected that tourist visits will increase significantly and have a positive impact on regional economic growth.
Despite budget efficiency, this year's festival funding still prioritizes funds from donors, CSR, and sponsorship, without reducing the quality of the event.
In addition, the Buleleng Tourism Office is preparing a special performance concept, including a typical Buleleng mass dance that will open the event.
“We will conduct a planning agenda and presentation to regional leaders in early March 2025 to ensure the festival runs smoothly,” he added. (MC Buleleng Regency/Suy)