Gandrung Sewu Festival Admitted into National Tourism Calendar

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Banyuwangi’s glorious cultural festival, known as the 2018 Gandrung Sewu Festival, caught the attention of the Ministry of Tourism after Minister Arief Yahya announced that the people’s major dance festivity will be included in Indonesia’s national 100 event calendar.

The Tourism Minister announced it after he personally experienced the festival at Boom Beach in Banyuwangi on Saturday, October 20. He said that the ministry’s team of curators had seen Gandrung Sewu’s annual and constant improvement.

“In order to be included in the national events 100 list, an event must compete with more than 200 events across Indonesia. Gandrung Sewu passed the assessment needed to enter the Top 100 Calendar of Events,” said the Minister.

Arief Yahya acknowledged Gandrung Sewu’s creative, cultural, and commercial elements which he said was “Colossal, world-class dance numbers, and photogenic,” apart from the fact that the festival shows Banyuwangi’s true cultural roots.

Other than Gandrung Sewu, Minister Arief Yahya said that the International Tour de Banyuwangi Ijen (ITdBI) and the Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival (BEC) will also be ranked in Indonesia’s 2019 national activity schedule. Banyuwangi Regent Abdullah Azwar Anas responded positively to the news that will surely advance Banyuwangi’s tourism.

DAVID PRIYASIDHARTA