Indonesia Rises to No.2 in Global Halal Tourism Ranking

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said on Thursday, July 1, 2026, that Indonesia's Muslim-friendly tourism infrastructure is significantly outperforming global competitors, drawing heavy validation from international benchmark systems.

The statement underscores Indonesia's strengthening role as an elite hub for global halal tourism, combining top-tier lifestyle amenities with cultural depth.

"From the perspective of the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) assessment framework, Indonesia has an advantage in the services aspect," Minister Widiyanti said in Jakarta on Thursday morning, July 1, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

She detailed that this critical operational edge translates directly into the widespread availability of certified halal cuisine, effortless access to well-maintained public prayer facilities (masjids), specialized airport transit services, and lodging options designed specifically around Islamic principles.

Crucially, the Minister noted that Indonesia offers these religious conveniences alongside world-class natural beauty, diverse cultural assets, and deep local hospitality. This ensures that global Muslim travelers can readily immerse themselves in extensive cultural excursions, marine sports, culinary adventures, and modern wellness retreats without compromising their daily religious obligations.

The state's formalized framework has mapped out 15 prominent provinces equipped with exceptional halal ecosystems, all of which are actively cataloged within the proprietary Indonesia Muslim Travel Index (IMTI).

A major highlight of this year's global campaign is West Java, which was officially crowned as the world's Most Promising Destination during the prestigious Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) Awards, hosted at the Halal in Travel Global Summit (HIT-GS) 2026 in Singapore.

The provincial victory reflects the broader national momentum. In the comprehensive GMTI 2026 global standings, Indonesia successfully secured the rank of second place in the world, achieving an overall score of 79—the highest cumulative score the archipelago has ever recorded since entering the international index.

"This achievement reflects the growing maturity of Indonesia's Muslim-friendly tourism ecosystem and serves as motivation to continue strengthening the aspects assessed within the ACES (Access, Communication, Environment, and Service) framework," Widiyanti added.

To defend and build upon this second-place global standing, the Ministry of Tourism is establishing cross-sector alliances with alternative state ministries, independent transport agencies, and corporate travel operators to market fully integrated, all-inclusive halal vacation packages.

The master development plan encompasses three core pillars: expanding physical connectivity and transit options, accelerating the certification process for small-scale halal food providers, and modernizing primary priority travel destinations.

Additionally, the government will continue to allocate funding to run specialized hospitable hospitality training programs for hotel and restaurant frontline workforces, scale up international terminal amenities, and deploy targeted digital marketing campaigns across the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe to attract high-spending tourist demographics. ***