Muslim Friendly Tourism (MFT):
Understanding the Supply and Demand Sides
In the OIC Member Countries
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Middle Eastern countries. Other parts of Indonesia are hoping to benefit from the initiative as
well. Aceh province, in western Indonesia and the only part of the country to enforce Islamic
Shariah laws, and the capital Jakarta are both seeking to lure Middle Eastern tourists, who
often bring many family members. While aiming to continue to attract Western tourists who
flock to its pristine beaches, the island is also seeking to promote its Islamic heritage, from
numerous places of worship to shrines dedicated to ancient Muslim preachers. Leisure
travelers enjoy a cultural experience especially with an Islamic heritage focus.
The Ministry of Tourism has also been engaging the industry to develop the MFT market in
Indonesia. Although it started much later than Malaysia in terms of developing the MFT sector,
it has been progressing well. In November 2015, it launched the Muslim Visitor guide to
Indonesia. It has also launched promotion programs with social media influencers to showcase
Indonesia as a Muslim friendly destination.
Some of the challenges Indonesia's tourism industry faces include the development of
infrastructure to support tourism across the archipelago, and the impact of tourism
development on the life of local people. Despite the optimism of officials, there are concerns
by some segments of the travel industry that advancement for Islamic tourism could alienate
other visitors who want to sunbathe or relax on the beach with a drink. But the local
government insists it can promote “shariah tourism” without affecting the existing industry,
and that party hotspots in the area will remain unaffected.
Key lesson learnt from the Indonesian efforts on promoting MFT is that a well thought out plan
should be developed and communicated to the diverse local groups and communities when
launching a MFT program/strategy. This plan should ensure that MFT market and services can
co-exist with other traditional tourism markets and services.