2026 Cap Go Meh Festival: Strategy to Strengthen Singkawang as a Leading Cultural Tourism Destination

Singkawang City, West Kalimantan is preparing a national-scale cultural stage. The City of a Thousand Temples targets one million Tourist Visits during the Cap Go Meh Festival 2026, which peaks on March 3, 2026. This target forms a strategy to strengthen the city's identity as a premier cultural and tolerance-based Tourist Destination.

Singkawang Mayor Tjhai Chui Mie stated this optimism stems from the growth trend of visits over the past three years.

"In 2023, visits reached 606,663 people. In 2024, coinciding with the Presidential Election and featuring only a mini Cap Go Meh, visits recorded 305,496. Meanwhile in 2025, visits increased to 702,056," she said on Friday.

The 2024 fluctuation was an explainable anomaly, while the 2025 surge confirms the festival's appeal.

From over 606 thousand visits in 2023, it rose to over 702 thousand in 2025. This trend creates a realistic opportunity to surpass one million tourists in 2026.

According to her, based on the upward trend from 2023 to 2025, the potential for a visitation surge in 2026 is significant, especially since Singkawang's Cap Go Meh Festival has gained national recognition as an annual cultural event with strong appeal.

Culture and Tolerance Strategy as Foundation

For the city government, Cap Go Meh isn't merely a Chinese New Year closing celebration, but the face of a grand narrative about social harmony in Singkawang.

The city is known as a meeting space where Chinese, Dayak, and Malay cultures coexist—a social asset now positioned as a destination's competitive advantage.

"This one-million-visit target isn't just a number, but part of a strategy to strengthen Singkawang as a premier cultural and tolerance-based Tourist Destination," she said.

Through this Sustainable Tourism approach, the strategy extends beyond mere promotion.

The government projects direct economic impacts on hospitality, culinary, transportation, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The festival serves as a catalyst driving the local economy while expanding the city's national and international exposure.

She believes increased Tourist Visits directly impact community economic circulation, particularly in hospitality, culinary, transportation, and MSME sectors.

Hotel Occupancy Rises, Signaling Tourist Surge

This optimism is visible in the accommodation sector. Singkawang's Head of Tourism, Youth, and Sports Office, Mokhlis, revealed several hotels were fully booked even before the celebration's peak.

"Among existing hotels, some are already fully booked," he said.

Overall, 47 hotels in Singkawang are prepared to accommodate the tourist surge during the celebration.

Several establishments like Swiss-Belinn Singkawang and Hotel Mahkota Singkawang recorded full occupancy earlier than expected.

He explained that while vacancies remain, occupancy rates are projected to keep rising approaching the Cap Go Meh peak on March 3.

Cultural Magnet Driving Economy

The Cap Go Meh Festival is the pinnacle of Chinese New Year celebrations in Singkawang, annually attracting both Domestic Tourists and international visitors.

Tatung attractions, cultural parades, and traditional rituals transform into rare visual and spiritual experiences—blending devotion, art, and collective identity.

According to Mokhlis, this nationally renowned annual festival is predicted to again attract surges of both Domestic Tourists and international visitors.

"The Cap Go Meh momentum always impacts Tourist Visit increases. This certainly provides positive effects for community economic circulation, from hospitality and culinary sectors to MSMEs," he concluded.