Indonesia Designates 15 Provinces for Halal Tourism

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Tourism Ministry is expanding Muslim-friendly tourism by designating 15 provinces as potential destinations. The initiative aims to strengthen Indonesia’s competitiveness while tapping into the global Muslim travel market.

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said the designation is based on the Indonesia Muslim Travel Index (IMTI), which was compiled using the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) as a reference.

The provinces include Aceh, Riau, the Riau Islands, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and Yogyakarta.

“Indonesia’s Muslim-friendly tourism products continue to diversify, ranging from religious tourism and halal cuisine to wellness experiences rooted in spiritual values,” Minister Widiyanti said in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday, June 25, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

To boost appeal, the ministry has incorporated events targeting Muslim tourists into the Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN). These include the Aceh Ramadan Festival, Aceh Culinary Festival, Muslim Life Fest, Balangan Islamic Festival, Batam Takbir Parade, and Batam Wonderfood & Art Ramadan.

The ministry has also launched a dedicated “Muslim-Friendly Travel” page on Indonesia.travel, providing information on destinations, event calendars, places of worship, and travel packages. At the same time, it is strengthening business operators through mentoring, market access, and financing support.

Widiyanti noted that Indonesia still has the potential to attract more Muslim tourists from Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states, despite geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is expected to remain a major source market, supported by strong air connectivity.

Beyond traditional markets such as Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, the government is also targeting non-OIC countries. Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China, Australia, and New Zealand are seen as promising markets with rising interest in Muslim-friendly tourism. ***