Aceh's Cuisine Is More Than Just Delicious, The Stories Behind Them Deserve To Be Highlighted.

Banda Aceh - Aceh's culinary heritage holds enormous potential to become a flagship gastronomic tourism attraction for Indonesia. However, distinct and bold flavour alone is not sufficient.

To deliver a complete travel experience for visitors, the narratives surrounding history, culture, traditions, local ingredients, and community life behind every dish must be properly developed and highlighted.

Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa has called upon Aceh's regional government and tourism stakeholders to strengthen the storytelling behind the province's signature local cuisine.

"We must build up the storytelling for Acehnese dishes. This way visitors will not only taste how good the food is, they will also understand the story that exists behind every meal," stated Ni Luh during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Aceh Culinary Festival (ACF) at Sulthanah Safiatuddin Park, Banda Aceh. The remarks were confirmed via an official press release received in Jakarta on Monday, 14/09/2026.

According to Ni Luh, gastronomy is never only about the taste of food. Every dish carries the cultural identity, traditions, history, local produce, and the lived reality of the community that created it.

This is why narrative is a critical core component when developing cuisine as a formal tourism product.

Visitors should not only be invited to taste food, but also guided to understand its origins, cultural values, and the community stories tied to each dish.

With this approach, Acehnese cuisine will gain far deeper appeal. Rather than remaining just something tourists consume during their trip, each dish will become part of a meaningful travel experience that connects visitors directly to the region's history and culture.

Culinary Festivals Must Deliver Tangible Economic Impact

Ni Luh also emphasised that culinary festivals should not exist solely as spectator events or cultural celebrations.

Initiatives such as ACF must generate real economic benefits for local communities, including increased turnover for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), job creation, and boosted economic activity in areas surrounding the festival venue.

Ministry of Tourism data shows the 2025 Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN) national event series recorded over IDR 17 trillion in economic circulation, marking 25.4 percent year-on-year growth.

The 2025 KEN series also attracted 10.8 million total visitors. The events engaged approximately 108,500 workers, 105,700 cultural practitioners, 15,400 MSME operators, and 4,900 local community members.

These results demonstrate that tourism events are able to produce positive multiplier effects for the wider economy.

Beyond serving as a space to preserve and promote local culture, festivals can strengthen local economies through active participation of MSMEs, artists, community groups and local workers.

ACF As A National Showcase For Acehnese Cuisine

Ni Luh assessed that the 2026 Aceh Culinary Festival has demonstrated the massive potential of Aceh's food sector to be developed as part of high-quality, sustainable tourism.

She expressed hope that ACF will support the advancement of Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet (WIG), the Ministry of Tourism initiative aimed at positioning Indonesia's diverse national gastronomic heritage as a global tourism drawcard.

Aceh Head of Culture and Tourism Office Dedy Yuswadi, as quoted by state news agency Antara, noted that the Aceh Culinary Festival has ranked among the top 10 national KEN events for four consecutive editions.

Held 11–14 September 2026, ACF 2026 brought together over 100 culinary MSME operators from 12 regencies and cities across Aceh.

The festival also featured participation from more than 20 community groups and creative initiatives based in Aceh, Jakarta and Bali.

By the final closing day, ACF 2026 had recorded over 11,000 total visitors, with total transaction value exceeding IDR 1.5 billion.

Dedy stated that this achievement was the result of cross-party collaboration, including the Ministry of Tourism, Aceh Provincial Government, district and municipal authorities, Ministry of Culture, community groups, and all participating MSME operators.

With strengthened storytelling, Acehnese cuisine is expected to become recognised not just for its flavour, but for the unique stories, history and cultural identity embedded in every single dish.