From Kandagan Dance to Pencak Silat, Enlivening SITEV 2026 in Algeria
detikcom had the opportunity to visit the Indonesian booth in person on Tuesday, 19 May 2026. The Indonesian Embassy in Algiers presented live stage performances that drew participants and visitors to the booth.
The Kandagan dance, one of the Sundanese traditional dances, was performed by Freya Aanisah Syafri, an Indonesian student studying in Algeria. In addition, the martial art Pencak Silat was showcased and performed by four talented young silat practitioners from Algeria.
The Indonesian booth was situated at the heart of the event site. A replica of the rumah gadang, the Minangkabau adat house of West Sumatra, formed a hallmark among the other booths. The booth was also decorated with additional cultural ornaments, such as a Bali gate and batik displayed around it.
The booth was created by colleagues from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Algiers. Many visitors stopped to view the diverse Indonesian cultures showcased at the booth.
The Chargé d’Affaires ad Interim (KUAI) of KBRI Algiers, Muhammad Syafri, said that the response from visitors to the Indonesian booth had been good. Many asked about Indonesian tourism, particularly Bali.
He hopes that visitors from around the world who come will get to know Indonesia better through the SITEV booth. In his words, Indonesian tourism will continue to develop.
‘Our hope is that we can continue to promote Indonesia here, because Indonesia–Algeria relations are already quite good, and our historical ties are close,’ Syafri said during an interview earlier on Monday, 18 May 2026.
According to the Algerian embassy’s website, SITEV is the main annual economic gathering that brings together tourism stakeholders at national, regional, and international levels. The event provides a platform for exchange among agencies, institutions, professionals, and experts, allowing them to share experiences, expertise, techniques, and to promote commercial tourism services.
Detikcom, together with dozens of journalists from various countries, attended SITEV by invitation of the Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts of Algeria. Before SITEV, Detikcom was taken on a tour of several Algerian destinations across five cities—Algiers, Oran, Tlemcen, Annaba, and Tipaza.