Antara News·Indonesia·Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 12:31 PM UTC

WIG 2026 connects Indonesian culinary products to global markets

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Hreeloita Dharma Shanti, Cindy Frishanti Octavia

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Tourism is developing gastronomy tourism by connecting Indonesia’s culinary richness with industry players and markets through the Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomy (WIG) 2026 series.

Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said in a statement issued in Jakarta on Saturday that the government is bringing together industry players, chefs, practitioners, academics, and communities to discuss gastronomy from various perspectives.

“An identity and a driver of socio-economic development, how culinary heritage can evolve into a business, the potential of gastronomy tourism, and how Indonesian flavors and stories can be crafted into a global narrative,” she said.

Widiyanti said the development of gastronomy tourism is part of the Ministry of Tourism’s initiatives during the two-year administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

The initiative is being implemented by connecting regional culinary richness with industry and markets through various activities.

She emphasized that gastronomy tourism goes beyond the experience of tasting food. It must be developed into an attraction that encourages travel while also generating sustainable economic benefits for communities.

“We want flavor to be the reason people travel, to visit a region, meet its people, get to know the ingredients, hear the stories, and ultimately leave behind economic benefits for those living along that gastronomy value chain,” she said.

Efforts to connect gastronomy products with the market are being carried out through the Artisan Market, held from October 2 to 4, 2026, at the Grand Hotel De Djokja.

The event features 21 tenants from the Joglosemar region and Jakarta, along with 13 collaborators participating in workshops, sharing sessions, and live cooking demonstrations.

The products showcased include aromatic rice, spices, artisanal cheese, Indonesian teas and coffees, jamu (traditional herbal medicine), honey, organic coconut sugar, tempeh, artisanal cookies, and fermented beverages such as kombucha and artisanal sodas.

“Producers and MSMEs from various regions are connected to the market through a diverse range of products. This is crucial, as the gastronomy ecosystem can only flourish when product creators have access to buyers, industry players, and broader market opportunities,” she said.

The ministry is also organizing a “Tastemaker Gastronomy Trip,” featuring a visit to Mazaraat Artisan Cheese in Yogyakarta. Visitors can observe the cheese-making process, try making cheese themselves, and enjoy cheese spreads amid Yogyakarta’s scenic rice fields.

The WIG 2026 series kicks off at Pura Mangkunegaran in Solo before moving to Yogyakarta, with events including WIG Talks, an Artisan Market, and the Tastemaker Gastronomy Trip.

The program also includes “Indonesia Restaurant Months,” involving 150 restaurants in six cities; chef collaborations at various hotels and restaurants in three cities; and a “Culinary Festival” running from October 7 to November 1, 2026, involving 32 malls across 14 cities.

In 2027, the WIG series is scheduled to continue in West Sumatra.

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