Malang, en.SERU.co.id – The Malang City Government has begun encouraging the development of night tourism as a new magnet to make tourists feel comfortable staying longer in the city. Currently, Malang City is still mainly a culinary tourism destination or a transit city before visitors continue their journey to other areas.
Head of the Malang City Youth, Sports and Tourism Agency (Disporapar), Arif Tri Sastyawan SSTP MSi, said tourists need to have more activity options after enjoying morning-to-afternoon tourist destinations. Affordable, open, and locally based night tourism is considered capable of becoming an additional reason for tourists to stay longer in Malang City.
“With the existence of night tourism in Malang City featuring entertainment and so on. We want the length of stay of tourists in Malang City to be longer, and for that to keep increasing,” said Arif on Sunday evening, October 4, 2026.
Night Tourism Offers Music Performances Cultural Arts and Creative Economy
Arif explained that the development of night tourism is not solely directed at presenting music performances. Disporapar wants to combine arts, culture, music, and the creative economy. This way, night tourism activities become part of a new and different experience for tourists while they are in Malang City.
One space considered to have potential for development is Alun-Alun Merdeka. Its location close to the Kayutangan Heritage area is seen as able to expand tourism activity points. At the same time, it provides alternative activities for tourists at night.
Utilization of Alun-Alun Merdeka Amphitheater as a 360-Degree Performance Stage
According to Arif, the existence of the amphitheater in the middle of Alun-Alun Merdeka can be utilized as a performance stage. This concept allows the audience to enjoy the performance stage from various sides without having to use a conventional concert stage.
“We can see for ourselves that in the middle of the square there is a fountain. If the water is stopped, it can become an amphitheater stage that can be enjoyed. Incidentally the concept is circular, so later people can enjoy all the performances in 360 degrees from the center of Alun-Alun Merdeka,” he explained.
The utilization of that space will not stop at a one-time activity. Disporapar wants to develop the agenda on an ongoing basis, while also providing space for local musicians and creative economy actors to perform.
“This is just a trigger, to show this is Malang. We will continue to present it while later elevating local musicians in Malang City. Whether dangdut music, jazz music, rock music, and so on, or pop, we will present them here. As a stage for musicians who exist in Malang City,” Arif explained.
Involving Fostered MSMEs According to the Agenda Theme
This strategy is linked to the strengthening of the local economy through the involvement of MSMEs. Disporapar together with the Malang City Cooperatives, Industry and Trade Agency (Diskopindag) provides space for fostered MSMEs. This is so they can introduce MSME products to the public and tourists in certain agendas.
However, Arif emphasized that the involvement of MSMEs does not mean opening the Alun-Alun Merdeka area as a free selling location for street vendors (PKL). MSME activities will be adjusted to the agenda and the provisions for managing the area.
“Specifically for this evening’s event, we are indeed presenting fostered MSMEs from Disporapar and Diskopindag. I have already ordered that what they sell is different from what street vendors sell. So they are already registered as fostered MSMEs of the Tourism Agency and the Cooperatives Industry and Trade Agency,” he explained.
According to Arif, the involvement of MSMEs in tourism activities has a farther goal than merely pursuing transactions during the event. Local products are expected to begin to be known by tourists and become part of their experience when visiting Malang City.
“This means that besides elevating tourism, we are presenting a multiplier effect that can be felt by the MSMEs that exist in Malang City,” he said.
Read Also:
Malang’s Iconic Alun-Alun Merdeka Reopens in Grand Style After Revitalization
Hiber Padhang Bulan as a Trigger Agenda for Night Tourism
The concept of night tourism development was started through the Hiber Padhang Bulan event at Alun-Alun Merdeka on Sunday evening, 4 October 2026. It is also one of Disporapar’s trigger agendas to utilize public space by combining art, culture, and music performances as well as MSME promotion. On an ongoing basis, this development is directed so that tourists have increasingly more activity options from the afternoon to the evening.
In that event, the series of activities began with the typical Bantengan art of Malang City, including the performance of a women’s Bantengan group from Kedungkandang Sub-district. This was followed by performances by groups of children with disabilities, the local band Tugu Amarta, and singer Yeni Inka.
“The introduction of Hiber Padhang Bulan can encourage tourists to look for local products again when visiting Malang City on the next occasion,” he hoped.
Arif said the performance concept was made more open by reducing the barriers between performers and the audience. This pattern is expected to create a closer experience, while also providing an alternative night entertainment for tourists.
With that pattern, Disporapar wants night tourism to become part of the tourism ecosystem of Malang City. Tourists will not only come to enjoy culinary offerings or stop over before heading to other destinations, but will gain cultural experiences, entertainment, and local products in one series of journeys.
“So later tourists will get to know the culture, traditions, and of course the culinary MSMEs in Malang City. At the same time it becomes a tourist destination agenda of Malang City that will be introduced by domestic and foreign tourists after being here,” Arif explained. (ws15/rhd)
