VP: Public Literacy on Halal Tourism Needs Improvement

INDUSTRY.co.id - In a bid to further develop halal tourism, the Indonesian Government has announced its commitment to improving public literacy on sharia economy, including the importance of developing halal tourism.

“Sharia economy is something good, it is just, it brings goodness from various sectors,” Vice President Ma’ruf Amin said in Jakarta, Thursday (06/05).

Halal tourism development has great potential to attract tourists. However, its development in Indonesia is currently hampered by the low level of public literacy, resulting in a misperception that halal tourism means adopting Islamic law instead of providing halal food and a place of worship for Muslim tourists. As a result, several regions raised their objections.

According to the Vice President, the concept of halal tourism includes the provisions of sharia services in every tourist destination. “There, we want to provide sharia services, halal services, halal restaurants, and places to perform prayers,” he said.

The halal services will provide comfort to tourists, especially Muslim tourists. He exemplified Beijing (China) and Nami Island (South Korea) as destinations that have implemented halal tourism.

Currently, in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, through vocational training center (BLK), the Government has provided education for students in Islamic Boarding Schools. It aims to produce halal tourist guides.

In addition to providing workers who understand sharia, according to the Vice President, various sharia service facilities that support halal tourism will also continue to be developed in several regions.