Bojong Night Market Revitalises Semarang's Night Economy
The Old Town area of Semarang is now increasingly lively with the arrival of Bojong Night Market, the latest night culinary destination that serves as a tourist magnet and a driver of the creative economy in the heart of Central Java’s capital.
Open every day from 15:00 to 03:00 WIB, Bojong Night Market presents a lively, safe night atmosphere full of culinary choices for both residents and tourists. As many as 60 tenants are enlivening this night market with a variety of offerings, from traditional Semarang and Nusantara dishes to trendy cuisine popular among various groups.
The Mayor of Semarang, Agustina Wilujeng Pramestuti, has positively welcomed the presence of Bojong Night Market, which is seen as aligned with the “Waras Ekonomi” programme currently being implemented by the Semarang City Government. This programme aims to strengthen the comprehensive empowerment of UMKM.
“It’s amazing, I just created the concept, and suddenly I received an invitation to Bojong Night Market. So we have the WARAS EKONOMI programme, a programme to empower UMKM,” she said.
Through the presence of this night market, the government hopes for significant economic turnover that directly impacts the welfare of local business actors. In addition, Bojong Night Market is also expected to become a new attraction capable of increasing tourist visits to Semarang.
The Waras Ekonomi programme itself is designed with a comprehensive approach, starting from data collection of around 30,000 UMKM in Semarang City. This data is then classified to identify the real needs of business actors, from legality aspects, certification, to production capacity.
Subsequently, curation is carried out by Dekranasda, accompanied by assistance tailored to the needs of each UMKM. This assistance not only involves financial aid but also includes access to networks, product quality improvement, and strengthening marketing strategies.
“Sometimes what’s needed is not capital, but access. Showing the way, connecting with partners, or improving product quality. That’s what we do,” Agustina added.
As part of the programme’s implementation, the Semarang City Government is also striving to revive underperforming markets into creative economy centres. One of them is Pasar Johar, which will be functioned as a hub for meetings between UMKM actors and the market ecosystem such as hotels, offices, and other service sectors.