Water Festival in the Meranti Islands Included in Karisma Event Nusantara 2026
Jakarta — The Ministry of Tourism has announced that the Water Festival in Meranti Islands Regency, Riau Province, has been included in the flagship programme Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) for 2026.
“The inclusion of the Water Festival within the 125 Karisma Event Nusantara events is a collective achievement of the Meranti Islands community,” said Vinsensius Jemadu, Acting Deputy for Event Development at the Ministry of Tourism, in a press statement confirmed in Jakarta on Friday.
“This demonstrates that local traditions can be elevated to the national stage,” he said.
Vinsensius stated that events selected for KEN 2026 are assessed for their potential to generate significant impact on tourist movement and regional economic growth.
According to Vinsensius, the cultural attractions during the Water Festival will strengthen Meranti’s image as a safe, orderly, inclusive region rich in tradition.
The Water Festival gained entry to KEN 2026 following a rigorous selection process that encompassed over 500 events and activities across 38 provinces throughout Indonesia.
The event curation process was conducted independently by a professional team based on evaluation of concept and idea quality, management implementation, financial governance, marketing and communication strategy, and economic, social, cultural, and environmental impact.
During the festival, residents and visitors splash water and throw water balloons in an atmosphere of celebration.
Vinsensius said the tradition originates from the customs of the Selatpanjang community in celebrating Chinese New Year. Historically, returning residents would tour relatives’ homes by tricycle, and during these social visits, children would playfully splash water at passing groups, a simple tradition that evolved into a collective celebration strengthening community bonds.
Over time, the Water Festival developed into a symbol of the blending of Chinese and Malay cultures in Meranti. The 2026 Chinese New Year and Water Festival period recorded 20,475 visitors to Meranti Islands Regency, representing a 1.79 per cent increase compared with the same period the previous year.
This increase in visitor mobility directly benefited accommodation occupancy, maritime transportation services, food and beverage revenues, and transactions of local small-to-medium enterprises.