Biak Festival 2026 Backs Papua Tourism and Expansion Plans

RRI.CO.ID, Biak - The Biak Munara Wampasi Festival 2026 is not only a showcase for culture and tourism, but also a platform to strengthen development ideas for Papua rooted in regional potential and spatial planning.

A member of the Special Autonomy (Otsus) Papua Acceleration Executive Committee, Yanni, praised Biak Numfor Regency’s decision to make tourism the engine of the local economy and reiterated support for establishing North Papua Province.

Yanni delivered the praise after attending the festival’s opening in Biak, Papua Province on Wednesday, 1 July 2026. The event drew representatives from the Ministry of Tourism; elements of the military and police; local administration officials; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) actors, and thousands of residents.

According to Yanni, holding the festival demonstrates Biak Numfor Regency’s commitment to maximizing its natural wealth, culture, and history as new economic strengths. Biak’s strategic location is also seen as an important asset for developing into a leading tourist destination in eastern Indonesia.

“Innovations like this deserve appreciation. Tourism drives MSMEs, creates jobs, and increases regional revenue. Biak Regency is fortunate to have a regent who can recognize local potential and translate it into a development agenda,” said Yanni.

He said Regent Markus Octovianus Mansnembra’s leadership has provided clear direction for tourism development. The festival, which runs until 7 July 2026, is viewed as an effective promotional vehicle to attract both tourists and investors to Biak.

Beyond tourism, Yanni again raised the proposal to form North Papua Province as part of administrative restructuring in the Papuan region. He said the idea has a solid basis, referring to the long-standing concept of dividing Papua into seven customary regions, which has guided discussions on territorial expansion.

“The concept of seven customary regions is not new; it has long been the basis for discussions on Papua’s division. Therefore, if North Papua is formed, it would be part of administrative restructuring aligned with the social and cultural structures of Papuan indigenous communities,” he said.

Yanni explained that creating a new autonomous region aims to bring public services closer to the people and accelerate development. It also gives regions more space to manage their economic potential according to each area’s characteristics.

He noted Biak Numfor’s success in developing tourism as evidence that Papua has sustainable sources of economic growth. However, he said those potentials require supportive policies to speed up public services, strengthen investment, and create a more effective development climate.

“Papua has extraordinary wealth. That potential must be managed through proper governance to truly become a source of community welfare. Tourism is one pathway, while territorial structuring is an instrument to accelerate the desired outcomes,” said Yanni.

The Biak Munara Wampasi Festival is now in its 14th edition and runs from 1–7 July 2026. This year the festival is again included in the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN), the Ministry of Tourism’s flagship program that gathers Indonesia’s top tourism events.

Over the week, the festival features 12 activities combining marine tourism, a creative economy expo, and traditional Biak cultural performances.

Ancestral traditions such as Snap Mor, a traditional fish-catching practice, and Apen Bayeren, the act of walking on hot stones, are showcased as main attractions. The festival’s presence further cements Biak’s position as one of Papua’s premier tourist destinations. (Annaila Azzahra-EN)