11 East Java flagship events included in KEN 2026

The Ministry of Tourism has announced that 11 flagship events from East Java Province have been included in the 2026 Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) flagship programme. Ministry spokesperson Nia Niscaya stated that all the events were the result of a curation process by independent curators based on five assessment aspects: ideas and innovation, event management, financial management, communication and marketing strategy, and impact analysis. Through this curation process, the Ministry of Tourism ensures that the events included in KEN are quality events capable of showcasing regional uniqueness, strengthening destination appeal, and providing a positive impact on tourism and the local economy.

The 11 events are the Rujak Uleg Festival in Surabaya on 9 May, Surabaya Vaganza on 23 May, the National Reog Ponorogo Festival in Ponorogo from 6–15 June 2026, Segoro Topeng Kaliwungu in Lumajang on 27–28 June 2026, the Ronthek Festival in Pacitan on 3–5 July, and the Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival in Banyuwangi on 10–12 July 2026. Nia noted that among the 11 events, the Jember Fashion Carnaval and the National Reog Ponorogo Festival were also included in the Top KEN 2026. She said both events have demonstrated consistency in their organisation, possess strong appeal for tourists, and deliver a significant economic impact for their regions. As an illustration, the 2025 Jember Fashion Carnaval recorded an economic turnover of approximately Rp120 billion.

Nia also expressed appreciation to the East Java Provincial Government, which has declared itself a province of events. According to her, tourism events such as MICE, sports tourism, performing arts, festivals, music concerts, and other events have become a strong driver of tourist visits and destination development. She stated that the contribution of event tourism to both international and domestic tourist visits to East Java is 30 per cent. These tourist arrivals are partly due to attending events, especially sports tourism events which are in high demand and dominated by millennial and Gen Z tourists. This is intended to increase quality tourist visits, characterised by longer stays, higher spending, and a strong concern for the environment and sustainable tourism.

Previously, the Head of the East Java Culture and Tourism Office, Evy Afianasari, declared her region a province with the highest number of events to boost tourist visits, with around 30 per cent of travellers coming because of various agendas held across 38 regencies and cities. Evy said one of the provincial government’s strategies is to optimise the sports tourism sector as an economic driver while increasing tourist visits, including foreign tourists. She believes that strengthening the eco-sport tourism concept can increase the number of foreign tourist visits, following the organisation of Mantra 116, which was attended by 4,014 runners from 22 countries across Europe, Africa, and Asia.