Muslim Friendly Tourism (MFT):
Understanding the Supply and Demand Sides
In the OIC Member Countries
76
Indonesia is another country apart from Malaysia which has issued a set of guidelines covering
Hotels, Spas and restaurants for catering to the MFT. These standards have not yet been
aggressively promoted.
SWOT Analysis for Indonesia MFT
The Table 22 provides a SWOT analysis of Indonesia MFT.
Table 22: SWOT analysis of Indonesia
Strength Weakness
Wide range of tourism experiences with
availability of prayer facilities at tourist
spots and public premises
Not enough signage of halal restaurants
Well-developed attractions and
entertainment options offering shopping and
outdoor activities in parts of Indonesia
Not enough promotion of Indonesia as a
Muslim friendly destination
Emerging “Sharia compliant hotels”, ability
to cater to the needs of the Muslim tourist
Value for money destination in offering
family Islamic tourism
Opportunities Threats
Branding and positioning Indonesia in
Islamic tourism
Competition from Islamic countries such as
Malaysia which offers an established tourism
infrastructure
Engaging news media and to increase
awareness about MFT offerings of the
country
Low air connectivity to major destinations of
the world
Development of MFT infrastructure to
support tourism across the archipelago in
partnership with multinationals
organizations and other countries
Low cost carriers have not established air
routes to major international cities
Themed campaigns for example tropical
destinations with white sand beaches and
blue sky, for Muslim families
Use of the word “Shariah” is scaring people
perhaps of its connotation. Might slow down
the growth of MFT in Indonesia
Development of cultural tourism and
heritage
Summary
Tourism in Indonesia is an important component of the Indonesian economy as well as a
significant source of its foreign exchange revenues. The country has much to offer to the
tourist; from natural beauty, historical heritage to cultural diversity. The tourism sector is
ranked as the 4th largest industry. Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia, and Japan are the top
five sources of visitors to Indonesia. Indonesia is a majority Muslim country. Hence, many of
its existing facilities and infrastructure is Muslim friendly.
Providing a cultural experience is strength in the country’s offering of a Muslim friendly
tourism. Lombok is at the center of an Islamic tourism drive in Indonesia, which has the
world’s biggest Muslim population and is hoping to boost the number of visitors from wealthy