Legislator Pushes for Grebeg Suran Baturraden to be Included in KEN 2027

A member of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) is pushing for the Grebeg Suran Baturraden festival in Banyumas Regency, Central Java, to be included in the Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) programme starting in 2027 to strengthen the promotion of tourism, culture, the creative economy, and local micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM). The legislator, Siti Mukaromah, stated that she has repeatedly conveyed this proposal to the Ministry of Tourism, as the event has significant potential to become a national agenda. She expressed hope that its inclusion in KEN would broaden the promotion of Baturraden. Speaking during the 2026 Festival and Grebeg Suran Baturraden at the Baturraden tourist attraction, she noted that the routine agenda holds strategic value, not only as a means of preserving culture but also for reinforcing Baturraden’s status as a tourism icon for Banyumas, which is already recognised nationally and internationally. She assessed that this direction aligns with the tourism ecosystem concept in the updated Tourism Law, which positions tourism not merely as a destination but as a driver of community economic activity. She remarked that Baturraden had already implemented such a tourism ecosystem long before the law was revised. She called for broader cooperation and synergy encompassing not only destinations but also culture, the creative economy, MSMEs, transport, infrastructure, and public education. The legislator urged continued synergy between the central government, regional government, businesses, communities, and the public so that the tourism sector can become a solution for strengthening the community’s economy amidst various challenges. She also participated in a lengger dance with performers who were foreign tourists, noting that their enthusiasm demonstrates the art form’s international appeal. She encouraged everyone to cherish their culture. In her remarks, the legislator, familiarly known as Erma, invited the public to continue preserving culture, maintaining tourist destinations, and developing MSMEs as part of a tourism ecosystem that improves welfare. She highlighted that Banyumas Regency’s wealth of arts, culture, and tourist destinations is a major asset for driving growth in the tourism and creative economy sectors. The 2026 Festival and Grebeg Suran Baturraden was held as part of efforts to preserve community traditions while strengthening Banyumas’s tourism appeal through collaboration between the regional government, cultural practitioners, communities, and MSMEs.