Wakatobi Wonderful Festival and Expo 2025

 

Wakatobi Wonderful Festival and Expo 2025 Opening Ceremony

The 2025 Wakatobi Wonderful Festival and Expo officially opened, with the theme "Discover the Colorful Paradise of Wakatobi." The opening of the national-scale event took place on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the Togo Mowondu Marina in Wangiwangi District, Wakatobi Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province.

The Wakatobi Wonderful Festival and Expo (Wakatobi WAVE) is an annual event organized by the Wakatobi Regency Government. The goal of this event is to leverage Wakatobi's maritime cultural heritage as a key characteristic and multiplier of tourism competitiveness, promote the region's tourism potential and unique competitiveness, increase domestic and international tourist visits, and foster local economic growth.

The Deputy Governor of Southeast Sulawesi, Ir. Hugua M. Ling, revealed that Wakatobi Regency was designated a national priority tourism destination in 2015. This designation makes Wakatobi a National Strategic Tourism Area (KSPN), which plays a crucial role in tourism development in Indonesia.

"This designation is inseparable from Wakatobi's rich marine tourism potential. The expanse of coral reefs in the sea is part of the Coral Triangle, which encompasses Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and East Timor, and is extremely rich in coral reef species," said Hugua.

Hugua continued, explaining that the richness of these coral reefs led to Wakatobi's designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2012. This also makes Wakatobi a National Park with the second-largest marine area in Indonesia after the Cendrawasih Strait in Papua.

"This uniqueness attracts international tourists to visit Wakatobi and enjoy its underwater beauty," Hugua explained.

Hugua stated that the people of Southeast Sulawesi and Wakatobi Regency should be grateful for the Wakatobi WAVE event. This activity, implemented continuously by the Wakatobi Regency Government, has resulted in the promotion of local culture and local wisdom, as well as the economic growth of the local community.

Hugua urged the Wakatobi community to preserve their culture and protect the environment, both on land and at sea, with all its natural resources that can be a source of economic growth.

"Protect our environment, protect our seas, because that's our only wealth. We don't have any mines; we only have the sea and what's in it," Hugua urged.

The Wakatobi WAVE 2025 series, which will run until October 5, 2025, will feature various activities, such as a culinary festival, a MSME exhibition, a turtle hatchling release, marine sports competitions, and regional arts performances.