The Secretary to the Deputy for Event Development and Management at the Ministry of Tourism, Titik Lestari, said during the opening of DCF 2026 in Dieng Kulon Village, Banjarnegara District, Central Java, on Friday that the 16th edition of the festival had gained strength because it had grown and developed from the local community.
"The goal is to make the festival a face of authentic and globally competitive Indonesian tourism," she said.
According to Titik, the event serves not only as a platform to preserve and promote cultural heritage but also generates economic benefits for local communities, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Many MSMEs, Titik says, are participating in DCF 2026, with the number appearing to be higher than previously reported to the Ministry.
"We saw that the MSMEs selling local snacks had already sold out many of their products. Hopefully, the community will benefit from the event," she said.
She said the Ministry was also promoting DCF through various promotional platforms and tourism promotion activities overseas.
DCF 2026 has also been included in the Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) program and selected as one of the program's Top 10 events.
The Ministry of Tourism describes the Top 10 KEN as featured tourism events selected for their event quality, tourism appeal, and regional impact.
DCF's inclusion in the national events calendar provides an opportunity to expand the promotion of Dieng to both domestic and international tourists.
The ministry will conduct a survey to assess the impact of DCF 2026 throughout the three-day event.
The survey results will serve as evaluation material to assess the benefits generated by the event from year to year.
She said the Ministry had supported the DCF since 2021 and the collaboration would continue in the coming years to generate broader impacts.
Titik noted that strengthening program curation, improving event governance, and implementing more structured impact measurement are important elements in supporting the achievement of national tourism targets.
She expressed hope that DCF 2026 would not merely become an annual cultural event but would also strengthen Dieng's position as a culture-based tourism destination that provides sustainable benefits for the local community.
The DCF 2026, themed "Spirit of Harmony", is being held from August 28 to 30 and features a coffee festival, MSME exhibition, Batur Sheep Festival, Jazz Atas Awan, and the Ruwatan Anak Berambut Gimbal ceremony.
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Translator: Bayu Prasetyo
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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