Indonesia Festival 2026: A Strategy to Attract Australian Tourists to Explore the Nusantara Archipelago

Melbourne – Over 6,000 visitors filled Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia on Saturday (24/10/2026) for the running of Indonesia Festival 2026. Initiated by the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) Melbourne, this festival presented various traditional arts, signature local cuisine, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) products from all regions across Indonesia.

Carrying the theme "Discover Your Neighbour's Endless Wonders", this festival acts as a platform to introduce Indonesia's cultural diversity to the Australian public while simultaneously strengthening relations between the two neighbouring countries.

Indonesian Consul General in Melbourne, Yohannes Jatmiko Heru Prasetyo, described the festival as a medium for Australian communities to get acquainted with Indonesia through direct first-hand experience.

"Indonesia Festival serves as an immersion program," stated Prasetyo in an official press release received in Jakarta, Sunday (25/10/2026).

Numerous traditional art performances enlivened the festival, ranging from Balinese Kecak dance, Reog Ponorogo from East Java, pencak silat martial arts, to angklung bamboo music from West Java. Visitors could also watch regional choir performances, join traditional games, and participate in batik crafting workshops.

The festival also drew crowds through its wide selection of Nusantara culinary offerings. Attendees were able to taste satay, bakso meatballs, pempek fish cakes, rendang, and various traditional snacks that represent the rich flavour heritage of Indonesia.

Meanwhile, six MSME booths displayed handicraft products from different regions. Featured goods included woven fabrics from the Tanimbar Islands, Maluku, as well as signature handicrafts from North Sulawesi.

"Here, we invite the Australian public to experience Indonesia directly — to see, hear, taste, and engage with Indonesian culture without ever leaving Melbourne," added Prasetyo.

Now entering its 13th edition, Indonesia Festival is held through collaboration between KJRI Melbourne and Indonesia Festival Inc. The long-running history of this event also demonstrates the role of the Indonesian diaspora community in introducing Nusantara culture to local residents.

Celyanda Goeltom, Chairperson of Indonesia Festival Inc, stated that the event has continued to grow over 13 years thanks to support and collaboration from various Indonesian diaspora communities across the state of Victoria.

"Over the last 13 years, Indonesia Festival has developed through strong collaboration between all Indonesian diaspora communities in Victoria," Goeltom was quoted by Antara news agency.

She expressed hope that Melbourne residents would not only view Indonesia as a tourist destination, but also as a neighbouring country with rich diverse cultural heritage.

Alongside cultural diplomacy, KJRI Melbourne also utilised the festival to introduce public services for Indonesian citizens residing in Australia. One such service is Kami Ada, a bilingual English-Indonesian digital platform accessible via kamiada.org.

This platform aims to raise awareness regarding domestic violence prevention, while also providing information and support for Indonesian nationals in Australia.

This initiative received appreciation from Melbourne City Council Member Gladys Liu, who expressed hope that the program would inspire other multicultural communities across Australia.

Australia is also one of Indonesia's primary tourism markets. Throughout the 2025–2026 period, Australian visitors are projected to make 1.78 million trips to Indonesia, with Bali remaining one of their top destinations.

Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Bali Province confirms that Australia remained the largest source of international tourists for Bali over the past year.

Even so, the Australian market is still considered to hold untapped potential to boost tourist arrivals to other destinations across Indonesia.

During a separate event for the launch of the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Economic Development (PROSPERA) in Jakarta on Thursday (22/10/2026), Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto emphasised the importance of expanding the reach of Australian tourists to all regions of Indonesia.

"There are still many other destinations that Australian tourists can explore. For this reason, we are pushing for the expansion of regional direct flight routes connecting cities across Indonesia and Australia," stated Airlangga.

Indonesia Festival 2026 does not only act as a stage to showcase Nusantara arts, cuisine and MSME products. It also opens opportunities to strengthen people-to-people relations, as well as expand Indonesia tourism promotion in Australia.