Bali & Beyond Travel Fair Wraps Up with Global Partnerships and Culinary Tourism Focus for 2026

Bali & Beyond Travel Fair concluded this year by effectively bringing together over half a thousand global tourism experts and sellers in Nusa Dua to forge new worldwide partnerships centered on sustainable travel experience. Among the highlights of the fair is the introduction of the 2026 version theme themed after the rich culinary heritage of Indonesia, a reflection that testifies to the fair’s shrewd direction toward gastronomic and cultural tourism. The focus confirms the growing role of BBTF not only as a B2B marketplace but also as a thought-provoking hub that drives influential experience-based tourism development in Indonesia and the globe.

The 11th edition of the Bali & Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) successfully concluded on June 13, 2025, at the Bali International Convention Center (BICC) in Nusa Dua, ushering in a new chapter in Indonesia’s tourism evolution. Widely recognized as the country’s premier international business-to-business (B2B) travel marketplace, BBTF 2025 brought together industry stakeholders under the banner of sustainability, collaboration, and cultural authenticity.

A Meeting Point for Global Tourism

This year’s edition welcomed 529 buyers from forty-five countries, connecting them with 499 sellers and exhibitors from various destinations across the Indonesian archipelago. These included tourism boards, travel agencies, hospitality brands, and cultural tour providers. The fair served as a strategic conduit for matchmaking, fostering real-time dialogues that often translated into high-value, long-term tourism partnerships.

Beyond standard exhibitions, BBTF stands apart by curating immersive post-show experiences. These tours enable international buyers to directly experience local destinations, engaging deeply with communities and environments. From hidden cultural gems to sustainable travel initiatives, these firsthand interactions provide the insight necessary to craft compelling, responsible tourism products.

BBTF as a Platform for Tourism Diplomacy

One of the defining moments of the 2025 edition was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA) Bali and the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB). This agreement laid the groundwork for a long-term partnership between Indonesia and Namibia, marking an important milestone in cross-continental tourism diplomacy.

The MoU is designed to nurture non-commercial collaboration across areas such as:

• Joint familiarisation (fam) trips
• Training workshops
• Media and influencer exchange programmes
• Collaborative tour package development
• Co-hosting exhibitions
• Sustainable tourism and community engagement initiatives

This strategic partnership reflects the increasing importance of international cooperation in shaping tourism that is not only economically viable but also environmentally responsible and culturally enriching.

A Forward-Looking Vision for 2026: Culinary Tourism as a New Frontier

BBTF is not merely a travel marketplace; it has become a trendsetting platform that shapes the direction of Indonesia’s tourism strategy. This was evident in the announcement of the 12th edition of BBTF, set to take place from May 28 to 30, 2026, once again at the Bali International Convention Center.

The chosen theme for 2026, “Redefining Indonesia’s Gastronomy Journey: A Celebration of Taste, Culture, and Sustainable Heritage,” signals a strong pivot toward culinary tourism as a national tourism frontier.

Why Culinary Tourism?

Food has increasingly become a powerful way to explore a country’s soul. It represents history, biodiversity, culture, and creativity. The 2026 theme recognizes that Indonesia’s vast culinary heritage, from its spice-rich islands to indigenous fermentation techniques, can serve as a gateway to authentic, low-impact travel. With food as the lens, travelers connect to local ecosystems, family traditions, regional ingredients, and sustainable farming methods.

This move aligns with the broader trend in global tourism where travelers are seeking deeper experiences over passive sightseeing. Indonesia, with its diverse culinary landscape, is uniquely positioned to leverage this shift.

Shifting the Format: A Personal Welcome

In keeping with the spirit of evolution, BBTF 2026 will depart from its usual tourism-focused talk shows and instead host a more intimate and elegant Welcome Dinner at The Laguna, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. The new format intends to foster genuine personal connections among delegates in a relaxed, luxurious setting, setting the tone for meaningful engagement throughout the fair.

BBTF’s Role in Policy Influence and Sustainability

Beyond commerce, BBTF is gaining traction as a policy-influencing platform. With its sustained commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the fair stands as a global example of tourism diplomacy, combining market access with ethical travel advocacy.

As the industry wrestles with post-pandemic recovery, climate imperatives, and the need to redefine value creation, BBTF has shown that it is possible to blend economic growth with cultural integrity and environmental responsibility.

A Global Perspective on Face-to-Face Connection

Despite the dominance of digital tools in recent years, BBTF 2025 speakers reiterated the importance of human connection in business travel. While technology can accelerate introductions, it is the in-person engagement, the shared meals, the site visits, and the personal storytelling that form the bedrock of lasting partnerships.

In this context, BBTF plays a unique role as a bridge between cultures, where dialogue becomes action and partnerships grow into tangible, on-the-ground projects that benefit not just economies but entire communities.

Embracing Authenticity, Sustainability, and Storytelling

Indonesia’s tourism outlook is now focused on moving away from high-volume, low-spend tourism toward a high-value, low-impact model. BBTF aligns with this by showcasing destinations that emphasize community-based tourism, conservation, and cultural education. Exhibitors increasingly focus on eco-resorts, slow travel options, indigenous experiences, and ethical wildlife encounters—products that appeal to conscious travelers seeking more than just vacation photos.

BBTF 2026 and Beyond

The momentum from BBTF 2025 sets the stage for a transformative edition in 2026. With its culinary theme, the upcoming fair will champion a form of tourism that is sensorial, educational, and community-centric. The fusion of taste and travel promises to attract a new wave of explorers eager to understand the places they visit through flavor and tradition.

It also presents opportunities for tourism providers, chefs, cultural institutions, and regional governments to come together and curate new travel products that extend the tourism value chain beyond hotels and attractions to include farms, food markets, local kitchens, cooking classes, and indigenous food systems.

Join the Movement

BBTF is not just a calendar event; it is an evolving movement toward a more inclusive, sustainable, and story-driven tourism economy. As the global tourism industry continues to adapt to emerging challenges and shifting traveler priorities, Bali & Beyond Travel Fair remains a beacon for progress, collaboration, and cultural diplomacy.

The Bali & Beyond Travel Fair 2025 demonstrated that tourism is no longer just about destinations—it’s about connections, values, and impact. From record-breaking attendance and international partnerships to an exciting thematic reveal for 2026 centered on gastronomy, BBTF is guiding Indonesia’s tourism industry toward a future that honors both heritage and sustainability.

Bali & Beyond Travel Fair wrapped up the year by solidifying global tourism partnerships and unveiling a new focus on culinary-led travel for the year 2026. The focus is a reflection of the fair’s commitment to sustainable tourism with rich cultural content.

As stakeholders look ahead to BBTF 2026, the event is poised to influence not only tourism products and policies but also the global conversation on how travel can empower, preserve, and inspire.

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