Ministry Urges Stronger Storytelling for Acehnese Cuisine at ACF 2026 Closing

RRI.CO.ID, Banda Aceh — Vice Minister of Tourism, Ni Luh Puspa is encouraging the strengthening of storytelling, or the narrative behind Acehnese culinary specialties, to further enhance the appeal of Indonesian gastronomic tourism. She conveyed this message while closing the Aceh Culinary Festival (ACF) 2026 at Sulthanah Safiatuddin Park, Banda Aceh, on Sunday, September 13, 2026.

She explained that gastronomy is not merely about the taste of food; it encompasses the culture, traditions, history, ingredients, and the community life that shape a dish. "We must strengthen the storytelling behind Acehnese culinary delights so that we do not simply savor the delicious taste, but also understand the stories behind them," she said.

She hopes that ACF can strengthen the Wonderful Indonesia Gourmet (WIG) program initiated by the Ministry of Tourism to develop the richness of Indonesian gastronomy as a tourism attraction. This year's event marks the fourth time that ACF has entered the top 10 of the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN), which according to the Vice Minister of Tourism shows the enormous potential of Acehnese culinary arts to continue to be developed as part of quality and sustainable tourism.

She emphasized that tourism events should not stop at being mere spectacles or spaces for cultural celebration; they must generate tangible economic impact. She cited data from the Ministry of Tourism, which noted that 110 events in the KEN series throughout 2025 generated an economic turnover of more than IDR 17 trillion, growing 25.4 percent compared to the previous year, with 10.8 million visitors and involving around 108,500 workers, 105,700 artists, 15,400 MSME entrepreneurs, and 4,900 communities.

The Assistant for Government, Aceh Special Region, and People's Welfare of the Aceh Regional Secretariat, Syakir, who represented the Governor of Aceh, said that Acehnese cuisine preserves the long history of its people, starting from relations with the maritime world, spice trade, encounters between various ethnicities and cultures, to the history of the Aceh Sultanate.

"We want Aceh's culinary offerings to be recognized not merely as delicious food, but also understood as a vital part of our cultural heritage and a driver of the creative economy," he said.

The Head of the Aceh Culture and Tourism Office, Dedy Yuswadi, revealed that ACF 2026, which took place from September 11 to 14, 2026, involved more than 100 culinary MSME entrepreneurs from 12 districts/cities as well as more than 20 communities and creative initiatives from Aceh, Jakarta, and Bali. By the closing day, the event had recorded over 11,000 visitors and generated transaction values exceeding IDR 1.5 billion.

Dedy expressed his gratitude for the support provided by various parties in organizing the festival, ranging from the Ministry of Tourism, the Aceh Government, and regency/city administrations to the Ministry of Culture. Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa reaffirmed the Ministry of Tourism's commitment to supporting the sustainability of ACF as part of efforts to achieve the 2026 targets of 16–17 million international tourist visits and 1.18 billion domestic tourist trips.