No.28/224/DKom
Muslim-Friendly Tourism (MFT) offers significant potential as a new source of economic growth, creating business opportunities, generating employment, and strengthening halal value chains across regions. This potential is further reinforced by Indonesia's growing global recognition as a Muslim-friendly tourism destination, as reflected in its rise to second place in the 2026 Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), from fifth place in 2025, and its sixth-place ranking globally in the MFT sector according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) Report 2025/2026. These achievements provide momentum to improve the quality of tourism destinations and services, expand the Muslim tourist market, and maximise tourism's contribution to the national economy. These issues were highlighted at the Indonesia Muslim-Friendly Travel Summit, opened by Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor Ricky P. Gozali and Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, as part of the 13th Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival (ISEF) 2026 at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC), Jakarta (16 October).
The development of Muslim-friendly tourism is an important step towards strengthening the role of the Islamic economy in achieving national self-reliance. In this regard, Ricky outlined three strategic initiatives by Bank Indonesia to strengthen the Muslim-friendly tourism ecosystem: the use of the Indonesia Muslim Travel Index (IMTI) to map regional readiness and potential as a basis for policy formulation; the development of a National Muslim-Friendly Tourism Roadmap to provide a clear and integrated framework for development; and training for tourism village managers to improve product and service quality as well as destination competitiveness. These efforts are further supported by digitalisation through the Indonesia Travel Pack initiative, developed by Bank Indonesia in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and relevant partners in September 2026. The initiative integrates access to destination information, digital connectivity, and payment services, while complementing the development of cross-border QRIS to enhance tourist convenience and expand business opportunities for local MSMEs. “Indonesia has all the assets needed to become one of the world's leading Muslim-friendly tourism hubs," Ricky said. He reaffirmed Bank Indonesia's commitment to strengthening collaboration and regional capacity so that Muslim-friendly tourism generates broader economic benefits for communities and supports the growth of the Islamic economy and finance.
Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana emphasised the importance of digital transformation in strengthening the competitiveness of Indonesian destinations and reaching the global Muslim travel market, which is projected to reach 260 million trips, with annual spending of approximately USD310 billion. To capture this opportunity, the Ministry of Tourism is strengthening digital promotion through the Visit Indonesia Portal, which provides information on Muslim-friendly destinations across all 38 provinces, including attractions, accessibility, facilities, and travel packages. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) through MaiA (Meticulous Artificial Intelligence of Indonesia) also helps tourists discover destinations and plan more personalised trips according to their needs. “We do not simply want to tell travellers how beautiful Indonesia is; we also want to show them how to experience and explore it," Widiyanti said. These improvements in digital information and services are expected to increase the visibility of Indonesian destinations, simplify travel planning, and encourage more international Muslim tourist arrivals.
The significant potential of the global market presents an opportunity for Indonesia to develop Muslim-friendly tourism as a new source of economic growth. The global MFT industry is projected to grow from USD249 billion in 2024 to USD424 billion in 2029, representing an average annual growth rate of 11.2%. In line with this potential, the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) identifies Muslim-friendly tourism as one of the Priority Programmes for the Islamic Economy, with its targeted growth rate increasing from 10.28% in 2025 to 13.08% in 2029. The development of Muslim-friendly tourism also supports the second Asta Cita priority through the strengthening of the Islamic economy as a pillar of national self-reliance, including the development of the halal industry and national tourism ecosystems.
On this occasion, Bank Indonesia launched a study containing recommendations for the National Muslim-Friendly Tourism Roadmap and presented awards to the 15 provinces with the highest achievements in the Indonesia Muslim Travel Index (IMTI): West Java, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra, East Java, Aceh, Riau Islands, South Sulawesi, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, South Kalimantan, Gorontalo, Riau, Jambi, and Batam. The study and awards are expected to serve as references for more targeted MFT development, help regions optimise their potential and improve destination readiness, and strengthen Indonesia's tourism competitiveness.
Going forward, Bank Indonesia will continue to strengthen synergies with stakeholders to develop a competitive, inclusive, and sustainable Muslim-friendly tourism ecosystem. These efforts are expected to unlock regional economic potential, broaden benefits for communities, and strengthen Indonesia's position as a leading global Muslim-friendly tourism destination.
ISEF 2026 features a range of activities open to the public from 14–18 October 2026 at the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC), Jakarta. Visitors can also explore the potential and distinctive appeal of Indonesia's Muslim-friendly destinations, along with tourism development opportunities that showcase the richness of the country's natural and cultural heritage. Further information on ISEF 2026 is available at www.isef.co.id.
Jakarta, 16 October 2026
Communication Department
Ramdan Denny Prakoso
Executive Director
