KANDANGAN — Festival Bamboo Rafting HSS was opened by South Kalimantan Governor H. Muhidin and Hulu Sungai Selatan Regent H. Syafrudin Noor at Alam Roh 7, Loksado, on Sunday, and it also received the 2026 Kharisma Event Nusantara (KEN) certificate from Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism.
The recognition puts the Loksado Bamboo Rafting Festival officially into the national tourism calendar. For residents of HSS, that status is more than ceremonial. The stakes are clear: more visitors, more money moving through village businesses, and bigger opportunities for people around Loksado.
The opening drew a busy but orderly crowd. After the certificate handover, the local government also distributed stimulus aid to several community groups, including basic food packages for PKK cadres and early childhood educators, school supplies for underprivileged students and people with disabilities, and social rehabilitation support for substandard housing units, or RTLH.
That move sent a clear message. This festival is not only about entertainment on the river. It also carries a social agenda.
Festival Bamboo Rafting HSS enters South Kalimantan’s top three KEN 2026 events
The inclusion of the Loksado Bamboo Rafting Festival in KEN 2026 matters a great deal for South Kalimantan. The provincial government said the event is one of three flagship regional activities selected for next year’s KEN lineup. That position gives it a wider stage for promotion, tourism ecosystem building, and service improvements on the ground.
HSS Regent H. Syafrudin Noor said the achievement gives the local government stronger momentum to keep improving tourism quality. In his view, Loksado has strong natural assets and cultural value that cannot be separated from the identity of the local community.
“Loksado is blessed with extraordinary nature and is now recognized as part of the UNESCO Global Geopark Meratus. Our shared task is to protect this preservation. We hope HSS tourism can continue to grow, bring real economic impact to the people, and keep its cultural identity,” Syafrudin said.
His remarks point to the policy direction quite clearly. The local government wants tourism growth, but without cutting the roots of tradition. In Loksado, bamboo, the river, the forest, and customary life are not decoration. They are the core of the tourism experience.
Why KEN 2026 recognition matters for HSS
KEN 2026 recognition brings much wider promotion than a local event usually gets. When the Ministry of Tourism places an event in the national calendar, market attention tends to follow. Tourism operators, MSMEs, lodging providers, local guides, and small vendors usually feel the impact.
For HSS, that effect comes in two layers. First, it strengthens Loksado’s image as a nature-and-culture destination. Second, it can push economic gains to communities that live alongside river tourism.
South Kalimantan Governor H. Muhidin praised the HSS government for consistently protecting the natural environment, culture, and traditions of the Loksado community. He said the tourism area has grown into an icon of South Kalimantan tourism and is known at the national and even international level.
“The Loksado tourism area has developed into one of South Kalimantan’s tourism icons, known nationally and even internationally,” Muhidin said.
Recognition from the provincial and central governments usually becomes an important foundation when a region seeks to strengthen destination infrastructure. Access roads, cleanliness, security, and the readiness of local residents as tourism actors all come under closer scrutiny. If those parts stay in order, festivals like this do not end after one season.
Bamboo rafts as a symbol of preservation
After the official opening, the South Kalimantan governor, the HSS regent, and related officials also rode bamboo rafts. The symbolism was obvious. They wanted to show support for nature-based tourism while making sure the festival ran safely and smoothly.
The simple gesture carried a larger meaning. In Loksado, the bamboo raft is not just a tourist vehicle. It is part of the main attraction that sets this destination apart from others. The sound of water, the scrape of bamboo, and the calm river flow create an experience that is hard to copy elsewhere.
Events like this also help preserve local skills. Bamboo craftsmen, river guides, and customary community members get a space to show what they do. When the ecosystem works, visitors come not only to look, but also to learn how local people live.
Officials who attended the event included the HSS Regional Leadership Coordination Forum, heads of local agencies, customary leaders, tourism actors, and residents. Their presence showed that tourism development in the region cannot stand alone. It needs support from many sides, from government and indigenous communities to residents who care for the environment every day.
The benefits local residents and businesses are waiting for
For nearby residents, the inclusion of Festival Bamboo Rafting HSS in KEN 2026 is expected to open more seasonal and permanent job opportunities. Food stalls, transport services, homestays, and local product sales usually pick up when a major event is held.
The challenge is real, though. If visitor numbers rise without proper management, waste, crowding, and environmental pressure can follow. That is why stronger field rules will be the next test. The festival can be lively. The river and forest still have to stay intact.
At this point, KEN 2026 gives HSS both an opportunity and an obligation. An opportunity to become better known. An obligation to protect the quality of the event, the services, and the natural landscape that gives Loksado its identity. What comes next will depend on the consistency of the local government and the participation of residents throughout the next tourism season.
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