KLUNGKUNG, DEWATA.NEWS – The annual Nusa Penida Festival will continue to be held in 2026, even though it is no longer included in Indonesia’s Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) list curated by the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia.
The Klungkung Tourism Office confirmed that the festival remains part of its regular tourism promotion agenda for Nusa Penida, emphasizing that KEN status is not a determining factor for whether an event is organized.
In recent years, Klungkung Regency had two events recognized under the national KEN program: Semarapura Festival, typically held in April, and the Nusa Penida Festival, usually staged in October or November. However, for 2026, only the Semarapura Festival has been selected for the KEN list.
“Only the Semarapura Festival is included in KEN this year,” said I Gusti Agung Putra Mahajaya, Acting Head of the Klungkung Tourism Office, on Sunday, January 25, 2026.
He stressed that the absence of the Nusa Penida Festival from the KEN list does not affect its implementation. “There is no cause-and-effect relationship. The Nusa Penida Festival 2026 remains scheduled as a routine tourism promotion program,” he explained.
Putra Mahajaya added that KEN inclusion is based on a curation and evaluation process. “If an event is held three consecutive times, it can be proposed for KEN selection. If it was previously included and is not selected again, that reflects an evaluation outcome,” he said.
The KEN program is a collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and regional governments to support high-quality events across Indonesia. The initiative aims to improve event standards, promote destinations, increase tourist arrivals, empower local communities, and generate positive economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts in line with sustainable development principles.
Several events in Bali remain on the 2026 KEN list, including the Semarapura Festival (Klungkung), Bali Arts Festival in Denpasar, Jatiluwih Festival (Tabanan), Penglipuran Village Festival (Bangli), Lovina Festival (Buleleng), Taman Ayun Barong Festival (Badung), and Pemuteran Bay Festival (Buleleng).
Looking ahead, the Klungkung Tourism Office plans to propose other local events for future KEN consideration. “We will also put forward other events in Klungkung, such as Festival Kamasan or Goa Lawah Festival, once they have been held three times,” Putra Mahajaya concluded.