Indonesian Cigar Festival 2026: Bringing Indonesia’s Cigar Industry to the Global Stage

The Indonesian Cigar Festival 2026 (ICF) brought together Indonesia’s local cigar industry with elements of culture, lifestyle, and entertainment in a three-day event held at Bali Collection, The Nusa Dua, Bali, from October 1 to 3, 2026.

The festival served as a platform for Indonesian cigar brands, manufacturers, retailers, communities, and enthusiasts to showcase the country’s growing cigar industry while introducing Indonesian cigars to a wider domestic and international audience.

The 2026 edition of the Indonesian Cigar Festival marked its inaugural collaboration with InterTabac Messe Dortmund. The collaboration represents an important step for ICF in strengthening the international positioning of Indonesia’s cigar industry and creating greater opportunities for Indonesian cigars to reach global cigar enthusiasts and markets.

The partnership also underlines ICF’s ambition to establish Bali as an international gateway and showcase for Indonesia’s cigar industry.

Government and Industry Leaders Attend the Opening

The opening ceremony began with a speech by Ahmad Mesfer, widely known as Opa Ewin, Chairman of the Indonesian Cigar Festival 2026 Organizing Committee.

The opening was also attended by Shri I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna (AWK), Member of the Regional Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia (DPD RI) representing Bali, representatives of the Ministry of Industry of the Republic of Indonesia, and representatives of the Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC).

Representing Bali in the DPD RI, Shri I Gusti Ngurah Arya Wedakarna highlighted the government's enthusiasm for Bali's role as a showcase and international hub for Indonesia's cigar industry.

He noted that Bali has the potential to become a strategic gateway for Indonesian cigars to international markets, with Indonesian cigar products already reaching 22 countries worldwide.

Indonesian Cigars Meet Culture, Lifestyle and Entertainment

Beyond its industry and business components, ICF 2026 presented cigars as part of a broader lifestyle and cultural experience.

The opening celebration featured a diverse music program ranging from blues and DJ performances to local pop music, creating a relaxed environment where cigar enthusiasts, industry professionals, tourists, and first-time cigar consumers could interact and experience the Indonesian cigar scene.

The festival also provided an opportunity to introduce several Indonesian cigar brands, including Esperitu Cigar, a Bali-based Indonesian cigar brand to present its range of Indonesian premium cigars to visitors throughout the three-day festival.

The event attracted both experienced cigar aficionados and visitors who were discovering premium cigars for the first time. The strong turnout throughout the festival demonstrated the growing interest in Indonesia's domestic cigar industry and its potential as a lifestyle and tourism product.

A Showcase of Indonesia’s Growing Cigar Industry

In addition to Esperitu, ICF 2026 featured a diverse selection of Indonesian and international cigar brands and tobacco companies, including Taru Martani 1918 (the oldest cigar factory in Indonesia and entire ASEAN, Dos Hermanos by Djarum, El Gaucho by Besuki Raya Cigar Jember, Deli Cigar by PTPN 2 Indonesia, Macanudo, Akar Nusantara, Uno a Jefe, and Wismilak.

The festival also brought together local cigar retailers and specialty stores, including Bali Cigar House, Bali Sigeria, and other retailers specializing in cigars and cigar accessories.

The diversity of exhibitors reflected the increasingly broad ecosystem surrounding Indonesia’s cigar industry, ranging from tobacco producers and cigar manufacturers to premium cigar brands, retailers, accessories, communities, and lifestyle businesses.

Indonesia’s Growing Luxury Cigar Market

The potential of Indonesia’s cigar industry is also reflected in the country's growing premium cigar market. According to Grand View Research, Indonesia’s luxury cigar market was valued at approximately US$411.9 million in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7.8% between 2024 and 2030.

Based on this growth trajectory, the Indonesian luxury cigar market could reach approximately US$478 million in 2025, equivalent to roughly IDR 7.5–7.8 trillion.

It is important to note that this figure refers specifically to the luxury cigar segment and does not represent the entire Indonesian tobacco market.

These figures demonstrate the significant potential of Indonesia as a market for premium and locally produced cigars. With its distinctive tobacco-growing regions, skilled craftsmanship, and increasingly diverse range of cigar brands, Indonesian cigars have the potential to compete with established international products while offering their own unique identity and character.

International Interest in Indonesian Cigars

ICF 2026 also attracted cigar enthusiasts from outside Indonesia, further reinforcing the festival's international aspirations.

Among the international visitors were HS Cigar Aficionado and Cigar Girl Hungary, a cigar-focused influencer couple from Hungary, who visited the festival and explored the participating cigar brands and exhibitors.

Their presence highlighted the growing international curiosity surrounding Indonesian cigars and demonstrated the potential of ICF as a meeting point between Indonesia’s emerging cigar industry and the global cigar community.

Looking Towards the Future

The organizers intend for the Indonesian Cigar Festival to become an annual event in Bali, with future editions expected to move to different venues and expand in scale. The long-term vision is to establish ICF as a leading showcase for Indonesian cigars while creating a unique destination experience for cigar enthusiasts from Indonesia and around the world.

With Bali's position as one of the world's leading tourism destinations, its established hospitality infrastructure, and its growing cigar community, the Indonesian Cigar Festival has the potential to develop beyond a conventional trade event into an international platform connecting Indonesian cigars, tourism, lifestyle, culture, and the global cigar community.

The 2026 edition marks an important beginning: to place Indonesian cigars on the global cigar map and to introduce the distinctive character, craftsmanship, and quality of Indonesia’s cigar industry to enthusiasts around the world.

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Text: Randi Noviano and Samuel Spurr