Creative Economy Ministry Aims to Make Tomohon a Globally Competitive Floriculture City

The Ministry of Creative Economy views the city of Tomohon, North Sulawesi, as a tourism destination that brings its local floriculture-based identity to the international stage through the Tomohon International Flower Festival (TIFF) 2026, scheduled for 8-12 August 2026. Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar stated that Tomohon possesses a distinctive character that can achieve global recognition, not just as a city of flowers but as a city with unique varieties such as the Kulo and Riri chrysanthemums. “I hope we can see even more friends and tourists, both international and domestic, coming to Tomohon,” Irene said in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday. The festival, held annually since 2008, features a Tournament of Flowers, a parade of 35 vehicles decorated with fresh flowers by local farmers. It also includes a tourism exhibition, cultural arts performances, and local business empowerment initiatives to promote Tomohon as a city of flowers. Irene noted that bringing this local identity to a global stage can have a broad impact on various sectors of the local community’s income. Visitors will not only be treated to the festival experience but also to potential business development opportunities, such as business-to-business (B2B) matching, trade, and investment from both domestic and international entrepreneurs. “This event not only strengthens tourism appeal but also opens up space for community economic movement across various sectors, from floriculture, crafts, and culinary to hospitality and transport,” she said. In line with this, the Ministry of Creative Economy is committed to encouraging every region to develop its potential and superior products into a creative economic force with added value and competitiveness. It is from this local wealth that the creative economy ecosystem can grow and create business opportunities and jobs, while strengthening the role of the creative economy as a new engine for national economic growth that starts from the regions.