Java Pop Festival: Driving Tourism and Regional Economy in Indonesia

The Java Pop Festival, organized by Kaya Pro and its initiator, Pulung Agustanto, is a festival that combines the atmosphere of Javanese pop music with contemporary arrangements and visuals. The Java Pop Festival was first held in 2023 at Madya Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Central Jakarta. This year, the Java Pop Festival will expand its audience reach to several cities in Indonesia, including Cilacap, Banyuwangi, Tangerang, Semarang, Solo, and Jakarta, starting in August 2024, featuring various Javanese pop stars as performers.

Typically, concerts are held only in the capital or a few large cities. Therefore, this year, the Java Pop Festival will take place in six cities across Indonesia with the aim of attracting tourist interest to boost the economic and tourism potential of the host cities. The festival will also present a culinary bazaar with various booths from regional small and medium businesses for visitors to enjoy.

Through the Java Pop Festival, the organizers aim to allow more segments of society to enjoy the unique and refreshing beauty of Javanese pop music. Additionally, they seek to preserve and appreciate the richness of traditional music culture, which is increasingly marginalized by modern music, by holding local music concerts as a platform for local artists and musicians to showcase their works, including Damara De, Gilga Sahid, Gildcoustic, Guyon Waton, Happy Asmara, Jogja Hip Hop Foundation, and several musical artists from the cities where the Java Pop Festival is held.

The Java Pop Festival's vision and mission are to reduce radicalism and intolerance by highlighting the cultural roots of traditional music, wrapped in business elements that can be accepted by society. "I created this Java Pop Festival solely to reduce radicalism and intolerance in Indonesia, not only to earn money, but this activity must also be sustainable and continuously sponsored so that it has a business element and doesn't just end quickly. If necessary, I will invite the government to work together to create pop festivals in other regions as well," said Pulung Agustanto, Promoter of the Java Pop Festival.

Therefore, it is hoped that the Java Pop Festival will not only be an entertainment event but also be a main driver in preserving culture and developing the local economy and tourism by attracting many tourists to visit the area. With the increasing number of host cities, this festival can introduce the richness of Javanese culture and increase public awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage. In the future, the Java Pop Festival may become an inspiration for holding similar festivals in other regions that promote the diversity of Indonesian culture, becoming a platform for local musicians to continue working and developing. It can also encourage the government to be more active in supporting local cultural events and strengthening the creative economy through arts and culture.