Ministry Receives Bali Top Hospitality Leader in Religious Tourism Development

RRI.CO.ID, Sanur — Indonesia's Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, received the "Bali Top Hospitality Leader in Religious Tourism Development" award from the Indonesia Travel & Tourism Awards (ITTA) Foundation. The award was presented during the 11th Bali Tourism Awards 2026 held in Sanur, Bali, in recognition of the Minister's role in developing religious tourism in the country.

The award was presented during a ceremony in Sanur on Monday, September 14, 2026. As the Minister was unable to attend in person, the award was accepted on his behalf by the Special Staff for Religious Harmony, Gugun Gumilar. "Last night, I represented the Minister of Religious Affairs in accepting the 'Bali Top Hospitality Leader in Religious Tourism Development' award from the Indonesia Travel & Tourism Awards (ITTA) Foundation," said Gugun Gumilar in Sanur.

Gugun explained that the award recognizes the Minister's contributions to advancing religious tourism, particularly in Bali. "This award serves as recognition of the Minister of Religious Affairs' contribution to developing and advancing religious tourism, especially in Bali," he stated.

According to him, the ITTA Foundation regularly honors figures, institutions, and leaders deemed to have made tangible contributions to the progress of the national tourism industry. The category awarded to the Minister this time honors his leadership, dedication, and contributions to fostering the development of religious tourism in Indonesia.

Furthermore, Gugun noted that the award also acknowledges efforts to strengthen the potential of religious and cultural tourism. "This includes strengthening the potential of religious and cultural tourism, particularly in supporting the development of Hindu religious tourism destinations as well as religious tourism potential across various faiths in Indonesia," he said.

Gugun added that the growth of religious tourism in various regions, including Bali, is inseparable from the collaborative efforts of the government and religious communities to maintain harmony and strengthen religious moderation. He cited the religious harmony index achieved in 2025 as concrete evidence of the success of these efforts. "We all recognize that since the harmony index survey was first conducted, 2025 has recorded the highest index score. This is an extraordinary achievement," he said.

He emphasized that harmony serves as a crucial foundation for development across various sectors, including religious tourism. "Harmony is a prerequisite for development. Therefore, it impacts not only the growth of religious tourism but also other development sectors," he asserted.

The award presentation ceremony was attended by regional leaders, ambassadors from friendly nations, heads of tourism associations, academics, industry players, investors, national media representatives, and executives from the travel, hospitality, aviation, destination management, and creative economy sectors.