Jakarta, MINA – The iconic Pacu Jalur Festival from Kuantan Singingi, Riau has officially been included in the 2025 Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN), a national program under the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE) aimed at boosting local tourism and cultural heritage.
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Widiyanti Putri Wardhana confirmed the inclusion on Wednesday, emphasizing that government support for the event predates its recent surge in popularity online.
“We’ve been supporting Pacu Jalur since 2022. The viral trend only amplified its visibility. So it’s not true to say we were slow to respond,” Widiyanti stated.” she stated, addressing public assumptions that the Ministry only stepped in after the festival gained traction through the ‘aura farming’ trend on social media.
The festival’s viral moment has helped shine an international spotlight on the tradition, demonstrating how local culture can gain global appeal through creative digital exposure.
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Pacu Jalur is one of four Riau-based cultural events selected for KEN 2025, a curated list of Indonesia’s most promising tourism events. As part of KEN, the festival will benefit from national-level promotion, financial incentives, and strategic support.
This includes digital exposure on official tourism platforms like Wonderful Indonesia and Event by Indonesia, along with travel packages through the “Open Trip With (OTW) KEN” collaboration with local governments and industry players such as online travel agent Atourin.
The Ministry hopes the festival’s inclusion will further elevate its status and draw more international tourists while preserving its rich cultural roots. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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