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Localizing Indonesian Halal tourism policy within

local customs, Qanun, and marketing

Intan Purwandani & Mohamad Yusuf

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JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS
https://doi.org/10.1080/19407963.2021.1996382

Localizing Indonesian Halal tourism policy within local

customs, Qanun, and marketing
Intan Purwandania and Mohamad Yusuf b

a
Universitas Gadjah Mada, Tourism Studies, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; bUniversitas Gadjah Mada,
Anthropology, Sleman, Indonesia

ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY

The growth of Halal tourism (tourism compliant with Islamic Received 12 April 2021
teachings) has added a layer of complexity to the debate on the Accepted 18 October 2021
relationship between tourism and Islam. Indonesia has
KEYWORDS
encouraged Halal tourism development in various tourist Islamic tourism; Muslim
destinations. While most Indonesians are Muslim, its varied ethnic tourists; policy-making; local
makeup also mean a diversity of community values which greatly principles and norms;
influence local norms and customs in daily life. Given these tourism branding; Indonesia
influences, this qualitative study investigates the formulation of
Halal tourism policy within the context of Indonesia’s diverse
Muslim and ethnic communities. In-depth interviews and Focus
Group Discussion were conducted in three different parts of
Indonesia to gather data on Halal tourism that is Padang, Aceh
and Lombok. The results show that the communities in each of
these destinations have different norms and values. This research
finds that formulating and implementing Halal tourism policy
requires different approaches to accommodate diverse
communities with their different norms and customs.

Introduction
In 2009, the Global Muslim Tourism Index (GMTI) revealed the growth and evolution of
Halal tourism with its increasing number of Muslim tourists. This led to stakeholders
actively contributing to and being involved in Halal tourism, both in its policy develop-
ment and implementation. In 2014, the Muslim travel sector was identified as being a
particular segment of the tourism market (Mastercard-Crescentrating, 2019). According
to Mohsin et al. (2016), Halal tourism presents an emerging opportunity for global
tourism. Numerous factors can trigger the growth of Halal tourism for instance, a
growing middle-class Muslim population. The Pew Research Center indicates that the
Muslim population is the fastest-growing in the world, and is predicted to become 26
percent of the global population by 2030. It is further estimated that by 2050, this rate
of population growth will be higher than the rest of the world’s (Pew Research Center,
2011)). Another critical factor supporting the development of a global Halal market is
the increase in Muslim middle-class income. In countries with large Muslim populations,
such as Malaysia and Indonesia, we find a continual increase in the size of the middle
class and its disposable income (Jafari & Scott, 2014).

CONTACT Mohamad Yusuf myusuf@ugm.ac.id

© 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
2 I. PURWANDANI AND M. YUSUF

Halal tourism has recently gained widespread acceptance, and has become a new
phenomenon in the global tourism industry. Previously, the Halal tourism industry was
mainly associated with the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. However, Halal tourism refers
to tourism products and hospitality services that are compliant with Islamic beliefs and
practices (Battour et al., 2014; Fischer, 2011). As such, the Halal tourism industry is
expected to continue to develop as an integral and mainstream part of the prospering
global Halal tourism sector. The GMTI reports that the global hotel and resort tourism
sectors have flourished in recent years in fulfilling the demands of Muslim travelers who
want to enjoy full leisure and hospitality services that cater to their religious requirements
and follow Islamic practices. In 2019, there was an estimated 135 million international
Muslim visitor arrivals at various destinations across the globe, up from 121 million in
2016. This number is forecast to grow to 156 million visitors by 2022, representing 10
percent of the travel segment with an estimated expenditure of USD 220 billion and
likely to reach USD 300 Billion by 2026 (Carboni & Janati, 2016; Haq & Wong, 2010).
In Southeast Asia, Malaysia and Singapore have implemented Halal policies in their
tourism brand marketing. Malaysia was the first such country to successfully incorporate
Halal tourism as a brand, developing the Halal Tourism Master Plan 2008–2010, which
promoted Malaysia as a Halal tourist destination, and subsequently expanded its market-
ing overseas and so becoming a center of Halal tourism development (Saifol, 2011). Simi-
larly, Singapore also provides support to Muslim travelers, such as through the HalalTrip
website (www.halaltrip.com). Besides being the only Halal website platform in the world,
HalalTrip also offers a mobile application and has a user’s manual on Halal tourism. Both
the website and the application provide Muslim travelers with a variety of ways to book
hotels, flights, and package tours, as well as to locate Halal restaurants and places of
worship (AFP Relax News, 2015).
Singapore also ensures that all of the tourism industry’s standardization and certifi-
cation needs are satisfied under the authority of a statutory board operating within its
Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth namely, the Islamic Scholars Council of Sin-
gapore (Majlis Ulama Islam Singapura–MUIS). This national certification agency was
established in 1978, ten years after MUIS itself came into being under the Administration
of Muslim Law Act. It has as many as seven Halal certification schemes based on the food
supply chain (MUIS, 2020).
As the most populous Muslim country in the world, Indonesia has also shown interest
in entering the global Halal tourism market, introducing Halal rules and requirements in
several of its tourist destinations (Rindrasih, 2021). In 2019, the Indonesian Ministry of
Tourism Affairs had introduced nine Halal tourism development strategies: First, devel-
oping and providing facilities and services that make it easier for Muslim tourists to
comply with Koranic teachings. Second, increasing the attractiveness of tourism desti-
nations for Muslim tourists. Third, developing the connectivity of Halal tourist desti-
nations. Fourth, doing marketing based on the destination, origin, time, and
preferences of the Muslim travel market. Fifth, developing promotions and marketing
communications for Halal tourism. Sixth, encouraging the use of digital media for mar-
keting. Seventh, developing the quality and quantity of human resources. Eighth,
strengthening policies and institutions, synergizing stakeholders, and conducting
research. Lastly, increasing industry competence through the development of Muslim-
friendly tourist destinations (Komite Nasional Keuangan Syairah 2019).1
 JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS 3

In addition to the above policies, the ministry released a guidebook for Halal tourism
management (Kemenparekraf, 2019a).2 The book describes the scope of Halal tourism
and marketing strategies as well as addressing institutional governance matters both at
the national and local levels. The government has also decided on ten areas to be devel-
oped as Halal tourist destinations with three areas to be given the highest priority for
Halal tourism development that is, Lombok, Aceh, and Padang (West Sumatra) (see
Figure 1). Several milestones have already been reached for instance, Lombok was recog-
nized as the world’s best Halal tourism destination, as well as the world’s best Halal hon-
eymoon destination. Meanwhile, Padang has gained recognition as the world’s best Halal
Culinary Destination, with Aceh being selected as the world’s best Halal Cultural
Destination.3
Public policy theory serves as the basis for explaining decision-making and policy-
making processes and identifying the causal links between events. Developing Halal
tourism policy and implementing this policy means identifying the knowledge gaps
and presenting these findings and so informing future Halal tourism governance,
and supporting contextual Halal tourism development. This research includes under-
standing socio-cultural characteristics. This study aims to assess how Halal tourism
policy in the three priority regions of Indonesia is linked to differing socio-cultural
backgrounds.
Using the perspective of Hall and Jenkins (2004), this paper examines these socio-cul-
tural backgrounds in terms of dominant groups and ideologies operating within the pol-
itical and administrative system affecting Halal tourism (Hall & Jenkins, 2004). The key
research assumption is that by using a wide conception of power that encompassing
decision making and the community political structure, it will enable an analysis of
the political dimensions of Halal tourism. The paper’s research objectives are first, to
understand the contextual formulation of Halal tourism policy in Padang, Aceh, and
Lombok so as to look at its implementation in the cities recognized by Halal awards;

Figure 1. Halal Tourism Destination National Priority Development. Source: Kemenparekraf 2019b.
4 I. PURWANDANI AND M. YUSUF

and second to describe the factors affecting the implementation of Halal tourism in the
context of Indonesian tourism development.

Literature review: Halal tourism and policy-making

Halal tourism began to gain the attention of academic researchers, indicated by published
academic articles, from 2010 featuring an article written by Battour, Ismail, and Battour
in Scopus (Ryan, 2015). To describe the activities and needs of Muslim tourists, the terms
‘Halal tourism’ and ‘Islamic tourism’ are frequently used interchangeably. Islamic
tourism, rather than Halal tourism, is used to describe Muslim-associated activity in
tourism, and related to pilgrimage and religious devotions (Henderson, 2010; El-
Gohary, 2016), whereas Halal tourism denotes tourist behaviors and consumption com-
pliant with Islamic teachings (Elaziz & Kurt, 2017). However, both phrases demonstrate a
common desire and motive of Muslim tourists in accordance with Sharia (Islamic law)
(Vargas-Sánchez & Moral-Moral, 2019).
The concept of Halal tourism, which is still evolving, places emphasis on implement-
ing Sharia such as making Sharia-compliant products available to consumers. The
meaning of the term ‘Halal’ originates from the Arabic language and is used frequently
in Islamic teachings and law (Mohsin et al., 2016). It encompasses what type of meat can
and cannot be consumed (Fischer, 2011) and the method for Sharia-compliant slaughter-
ing of animals (Harvey, 2010).
In a Muslim-majority nation like Indonesia, awareness and understanding regarding
the spiritual side of Halal are very significant, including among Gen Z Muslims (Vargas-
Sánchez et al., 2020; Vargas-Sánchez & Perano, 2018). Meanwhile, in nations where
Muslims are a minority population and Sharia knowledge is limited, Halal compliance
can be less prominent in general tourism. However, a prominent exception is Spain,
which has become a popular destination for Muslim tourists, and taking a Halal
tourism development path. In Spain, Halal tourism growth is closely related to the inter-
ests and commercial activities of the local Muslim population (Purwandani, 2018).
Because Muslim visitors generate economic revenue, there is a greater potential to
offer Halal products and services, which has policy implications for growing Halal
businesses in regional activities (Purwandani, 2018). This model has implications for
Indonesia, via the Halal tourism policy plan and is also consistent with Edgell’s (1990)
contention that policymakers should pay special attention to the connection between
commerce and culture in the tourist sector.
Policy involves not only a process of decision making but also the outcome of that
process (Hall, 2011). Policy formulation hence needs to take a range of considerations
into account related to outcomes. It needs to consider priorities, the interests of the
people, and the relationship between government aims and the results it seeks to
achieve (Dredge, 2006; Stevenson et al., 2008). Tourism policy is a set of guidelines
which provide specific goals and actions that need to be taken to meet a particular desti-
nation’s needs. It stipulates actions not only for elements of government but also actions
needed throughout the private and non-profit tourism industry sectors (Dredge & Whit-
ford, 2011). Policy formulation then needs collaboration between the public and private
sectors. Otherwise, it will lead to low quality tourism products or a degradation of the
environment and way of life of the host community, in which sustainability itself is at risk.
 JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS 5

Policy formulation moreover, is a political activity influenced by the cultural norms

and values held by society, as well as by the formal structure of government and other
features of the political system. In Indonesia, the nature of the policy-making process
in each region varies according to time and space and between policy stakeholders or
policy communities (cf. Hall & Jenkins, 2004; Yusuf & Purwandani, 2020). Any
attempt to understand and analyze each policy in a different cultural context and
other policy decisions, actions, and events are highly complex. This is more so,
because of the absence of a comprehensive theoretical framework which can explain
coherently the public policy-making process. As Atkinson and Chandler (1983, p. 3)
argue, ‘Political authority is not just the recipient of political demands, and the state is
not just a mechanism for sorting and announcing them’. The policy-making processes
is a consequence of many inter-related aspects including the socio-cultural and political
environment, norms and ideologies, power distribution, and the institutional framework
(Stevenson et al., 2008; Bramwell & Meyer, 2007). Consequently, analysis of policy
making should include government actions, inaction, decisions, and non-decisions
because it implies a deliberate choice between alternatives. Policies are formulated and
implemented in a dynamic environment with complex patterns of decisions, actions,
interactions, reactions, and feedback. As suggested by Brooks, ‘Policy, then, involves a
conscious choice that leads to deliberate action – the passage of laws, the spending of
money, official speech or gestures, or other observable actions – or inaction’ (Brooks,
1993, p. 12).
Tourism policy generally covers economic, social, environmental, and political objec-
tives (Shuraiki, 2002). Tourism policy involves the central government and its particular
policy powers and its administrative bodies which can intervene in the tourism sector
directly and indirectly (Shuraiki, 2002). Among its various roles, the main role of govern-
ment in tourism policy is arguably to cover regional and physical environmental plan-
ning for pursuing sustainable goals, supporting the provision of social activities and
trade mission planning (Veal, 2003) to achieve economic objectives. In trade, some gov-
ernments make policies to supervise tourism promotion, marketing and tourist compa-
nies (Ryan, 1991). Currently, there are also governments which are promoting Halal
tourism destinations within their countries (Rakhmat, 2017). Tourism policy however,
involves all levels of government meaning it needs an integrated approach to ensure
policy goals are developed effectively and relevant to the multi-faceted challenges in
the tourism industry (OECD, 2010), including the needs of Halal tourism.

Methodology
This paper is a qualitative study of three areas of Indonesia with Halal tourism, namely
Aceh, Padang, and Lombok. These areas are regarded by the central government as being
national priorities for the development of Halal tourism.
The method uses four data gathering and analysis steps, which were conducted from
June to December 2019. The first step was to determine the key actors (stakeholders).
Each stakeholder was assessed in terms of knowledge, interests, positions, alliances,
and importance related to Halal tourism development. Three categories of stakeholders
were identified as being involved in the Halal tourism development namely: (1) govern-
ment, represented by the Ministry of Tourism, Indonesian Muslim Scholars Council
6 I. PURWANDANI AND M. YUSUF

(Majlis Ulama Indonesia), and local government tourism office; (2) tourism industry,
such as Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies and the Association of Indonesian
Hotels and Restaurants; and (3) academia of several universities from across Indonesia
which have developed tourism concepts, including the University of Syiah Kuala in
Aceh, the University of Padang in Padang West Sumatera, Universitas Gadjah Mada
in Yogyakarta, and the University of Mataram in Lombok.
In the second step, interviews were conducted with the stakeholders. In total fifteen
interviews were undertaken in three research locations. All the interviews with the infor-
mants were recorded, and notes taken on important points related to the research focus
areas. The interviews were aimed mainly to investigate stakeholders’ perceptions regarding
the development of Halal tourism and specific issues related to the development of Halal
tourism in these three priority locations. The length of each interview was between 2 and 3
hours. The next stage was a focus group discussion (FGD) with the stakeholders who had
been interviewed previously numbering between 5 and 6 people.4 The purpose of this FGD
was to obtain more detailed information about the policies and implementation of Halal
tourism in these areas and to cross-check and further explore perspectives among these sta-
keholders. However, there was no intent to find a stakeholder consensus position. In the
FGD, further elaboration was sought on the diverse perspectives and responses to the inter-
view questions. There were three focus areas discussed in the FGD. The first was the con-
ception of Halal tourism, the second was the most critical aspects of Halal tourism
regulated in both national and local regulations, and the third was the socio-cultural foun-
dations that justify the implementation of Halal tourism.
The results of the interviews and FGDs were then analyzed based on the descriptive
content analysis model which involved categorizing the detailed explanations, state-
ments, and comments from the stakeholders obtained during the interviews and
FGDs. This enabled an analysis of their perspectives on the conception of Halal
tourism and its implementation. In addition, we also analyzed the relationship
between different categories related to the conception of Halal tourism. The purpose
of this analysis was to find general views and a more detailed explanation for the state-
ments and comments of these stakeholders. The fourth stage was performed by conduct-
ing a second interview with the same stakeholders. At this stage, the interview was
intended to verify and cross-check the data and validate the statements provided in
the previous data collection stage.

Findings
In Padang, Aceh, and Lombok, three different interpretations and practices of Halal
tourism were found, each influenced by that particular region’s socio-cultural values
and laws. The role of stakeholders is also found to have a significant effect on each
tourism destination’s approach to Halal tourism.

The traditional law of Halal in Padang

Padang is a city in West Sumatra with socio-cultural values found in the ‘Adat Basandi
Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah’, philosophy grounded in Islamic principles. This phi-
losophical wisdom, outlined in Sharia law, provides the formal setting proposed by the
 JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS 7

local government however, the legislature has yet to approve this proposal. In 2014, the
government of Padang, through its mayor, a member of an Islamic party, the Partai Kea-
dilan Sejahtera (Justice and Welfare Party) sought the development of tourism consistent
with Islamic principles. The mayor saw Halal tourism as tourism where the specific needs
of Muslim tourists were met in terms of facilities and services at a destination.
The government in its marketing strategy has been targeting Muslim tourists from
Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and the Middle East. This strategy is not merely aimed
at the economic benefits from this Muslim tourist market but also showcasing the
customs and socio-cultural life of West Sumatra. This perspective underpins the
Padang government’s decision to initiate the formulation of a Halal tourism concept.
One finding of this study was that in Padang, the Halal tourism concept, developed
from traditional legal law had become formalized under the mayor in tourism regu-
lations. The development of Halal tourism in Padang has broad relevance to the rest
of West Sumatra, as it serves as a pilot project of Halal tourism in the province. The
Halal tourism vision and mission itself stems from the Padang Mayor’s ideology, and
his consequent willingness to apply ‘Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah’
to tourism.
The government and other stakeholders have initiated many collaborative projects to
realize the Halal tourism concept in Padang including, collaboration with the hotel
industry and civil society. However, this research finds that there is no involvement
from civil society representatives in formulating the Halal tourism concept. As a conse-
quence, they do not know what the government means by Halal tourism, what it means
in practice, or what changes will be made to existing Halal tourism. In civil society’s view,
there will be no significant changes to Halal tourism.
The government of Padang is regulating the conversion of the city’s general hotels into
Halal hotels. Nonetheless, the industry is aware of the essential aspects of Halal hotels,
such as rules on gender relations in Islam, curbing behaviors considered immoral in
Islamic teachings, a Halal food service, and the provision of prayer facilities. The hotel
industry agrees with how the government has attempted to standardize the facilities
and services available in Halal hotels. Uniquely, despite this, the government still
holds the view that, in the implementation of Halal tourism, hotels do not need to
follow the strict rules of Islamic principles so as to appeal to non-Muslim tourists.
Despite these conflicting perspectives, Padang’s hotel industry has begun to promote
the notion of Halal for five principal reasons. First, there has been a considerable amount
of pressure from Padang’s government to rebrand general hotels as Halal hotels. Second,
a significant portion of hotel staff tends to be Muslim. Third, there is a strongly held belief
among Muslims in Padang that every immoral action causes a disaster, which has led
hotels to discourage unethical and sinful behavior through the application of Sharia
law, such as providing Halal facilities and services. Fourth, Muslims tend to be the
primary customers for these hotels. The fifth reason is that the hotel regards the
concept of Halal as engendering trust in the minds of guests. These incentives have
motivated hotels to apply the Halal approach in branding and appealing to Muslim
hotel guests. In the debate over Halal tourism’s conceptualization, recent local govern-
ment efforts have come to be valued by hotels for their impartiality. On the one hand,
the government of Padang has participated vigorously in promoting the Halal concept
to the hotel industry, as reflected in an interview excerpt below.
8 I. PURWANDANI AND M. YUSUF

I encourage the hotel industry in Padang to showcase Minangkabau arts in every hotel’s
lobby. As this art does not embody any potential polytheism (syirik) or distortions of
Islam, we have to familiarize this to the audience.

In June 2020, the Provincial Government of West Sumatera had stipulated Regional
Regulation (Peraturan Daerah or Perda) Number 1 of 2020 concerning the implemen-
tation of Halal tourism in West Sumatra in general and in Padang in particular.
Presently in Padang, the hotel industry has agreed to six regulations that embody the
concept of Halal:

(1). The mandatory rule is that every female member of staff wears a hijab (head scarf/
garment to cover female form) and apply an ethical dress code following Islamic
norms and customs.
(2). No non-Halal beverages, such as alcohol, are proscribed.
(3). Hotels check the identity cards of couples during check-in to confirm their marital
status.
(4). Pubs and bars are closed down.
(5). They are following the process of Halal certification.
(6). No activities are conducted which do not adhere to Islamic principles.

However, following deliberation over these indicators, the academia of Padang aca-
demics expressed their concern over being excluded from the development of the regu-
lation and concept of Halal tourism. In their view, this idea was an immature one
because it lacked research. Halal tourism, they argued requires comprehensive and
precise indicators to explain the implicit meanings in the Qur’an and Hadiths, the
two sources of Islamic principles, expressed in the local custom of Adat Basandi
Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah. A haphazard concept would, this group argues,
lead to an incorrect implementation of Halal tourism and possibly trigger conflict
between the communities in Padang; a crucial consideration to Padang Muslims,
who believe in applying Sharia to every aspect of their lives. This criticism delivers a
meaningful message to the Padang government, to sharpen its awareness of the Halal
concept and the perspectives of civil society and academia towards Halal tourism
before promulgating regulations.

A top-down approach from Aceh

Padang and Aceh are, respectively, a city and province in Sumatra which apply Islamic
principles to governing their jurisdictions. Padang is influenced by its Islamic norms and
values expressed in its custom – ‘Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah’. Aceh
is also influenced by a similar but distinctive Islamic-based local custom.
The enactment of the Law of the Government of Aceh in 2006, introduced as part of its
peace process with the Indonesian government, a mandate that all laws must comply
with Islamic law or Sharia, based on faith, morals, and laws (Feener, 2013, 2016; Govern-
ment of Aceh, 2006: art. 125). Islamic Sharia law is applied in every single sector and is
known as Qanun. The Qanun for tourism, specifically, is regulated according to Qanun
Aceh Number 8/2013 About Tourism. Aceh for this reason has gained the name ‘The
front porch of Mecca’. (Serambi Mekkah)
 JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS 9

In discourses on the implementation of Sharia law in Aceh, many Acehnese Muslims

have given it their full support arguing that kaffah (whole-hearted) application of
Islamic Sharia will promote better living. The Acehnese government has supported
this by establishing an Islamic Sharia Office (Dinas Syariat Islam) with the responsibility
of upholding sharia through the establishment of the Sharia Police (Wilāyat al H isbah)
and the Sharia Court (Mahkamah Syar’iyah) (Salim, 2007).
Theoretically, developing Halal tourism must adhere to the Qanun applied in Aceh
with its specific regulations. Halal tourism requires that the tourism industry follow a
strict set of guidelines:

(1). All female staff members in private and public institutions must wear a hijab.
(2). Entertainment activities, such as concerts, must contain segregated male and female
areas.
(3). Identities of hotel guests must be checked to confirm their marital status.
(4). A Muslim dress code must be applied for non-Muslims who desire to enter a mosque.
(5). A restriction must be placed on women wearing jeans in the vicinity of a mosque.
(6). Tourist attractions, especially Aceh’s beaches, must be closed at night to curb any
transgression of Sharia law.

The conception of Halal tourism in Aceh is prescribed in its Sharia laws while in
Padang it also draws on socio-cultural and economic traits. From the industry’s perspec-
tive in Aceh, it recognizes that it must act in accordance with the majority Muslim expec-
tations in upholding Sharia law. In particular, there is the view that Aceh’s upholding of
Sharia law is the main attraction for Halal tourism. In their opinion, the function of
Sharia law in everyday activities embodies spirituality, cleanliness, and service in
tourism, all of which are needed in Halal tourism.
The Mayor of Aceh explains that:
Aceh’s status as an Islamic law area is unique, which is relied upon to develop Halal tourism.
Furthermore, this is an attraction for tourists visiting Aceh. The implementation of Sharia
Law also seems to require the public and the government to transform it to many aspects of
government programs including tourism.

Based on interviews conducted with local government officials, motivation to create

‘world Halal tourism’ is closely related to Aceh’s application of Sharia law in all facets
of life. The chair of Aceh Tourism Board argues that
Because Islam is the majority [religion] here, and we, therefore, implement Islamic law as
our guide; we want to develop tourism that does not interfere with our religion.

Halal tourism in Aceh is implemented by obliging all industries, including foods, hotels,
and tourism-related business to obtain Halal certification. The Mayor stated:
We urge all regional heads in Aceh to support the Halal certification process for tourism
businesses. This Halal certification is a guarantee for tourists visiting Aceh Province.

In hotels, Halal tourism is manifested in three ways: Halal food, prayer facilities, and seg-
regated areas on the beach, the latter being the most distinctive divergence from Padang’s
Halal tourism rules. Nonetheless, in practice, based on observations of Acehnese Halal
tourism, these activities in practice appear to be similar to those in Bali, the most
10 I. PURWANDANI AND M. YUSUF

popular foreign and domestic tourist destination in Indonesia. In other words, tourists
have a greater degree of discretion in their activities and dress in compliance with appli-
cable secular laws. The main duty of the Sharia police – policing infractions of Sharia law
– do not appear to be carried out effectively (Bustamam-Ahmad, 2016). As such, even
though Aceh has regulated Halal tourism under Sharia law, it can be said that there is
no strict enforcement of Sharia for Halal tourism operations.
The irony is that in a jurisdiction under Sharia law there appears to be limited enfor-
cement of its rules – akin more to secular law in Bali rather than Syaria law in Aceh. This
has not gone unnoticed among Muslim academics in Aceh. They suggest that an agree-
ment must first be made between stakeholders to create a shared understanding of what
Halal is and how it is enforced. This mutual understanding will enable them to avoid mis-
interpretations of the term Halal in Aceh’s tourism industry.
Within Acehnese society itself, people are of two minds regarding Halal tourism.
Acehnese people are familiar with living under Sharia law. Regardless of its type –
Halal or otherwise – the growth in tourism creates an opportunity to support the Aceh-
nese economy. This perspective is particularly true of Halal tourism, which they view as
enabling the generation of income earned through Halal means because it adheres to
Sharia law. However, for another section of this community, the influx of tourists is a
potential threat to Sharia law and concurrently their Islamic norms and values. What
is needed then, according to this group, is stricter Sharia law enforcement to preserve
their identity as Islamic-based societies.

Lombok Halal tourism: from branding to legitimate foundation

While Padang and Aceh are characterized by Halal tourism based on governmental and
legal prescriptions to uphold Islamic culture and law, Lombok has used a different way of
implementing Halal tourism.
The government of Lombok, through its the Department of Tourism represents,
argues that the concept of Halal tourism is simply a rebranding of what they already
have. In an interview, one representative elaborates:
Halal tourism is a magic word. As 90% of us are Muslim, Halal food has existed since a long
time ago. However, rebranding our tourism with Halal, we can find that our incoming visits
have increased dramatically. It is simply that we make our daily Halal consumption into a
concept to rebrand it.

Halal tourism in this regard is a mixture of religion and business, with an inevitable
adjustment to create a new way of marketing products. Realizing this intersectionality,
the government began to explore Halal tourism to avoid friction in the community.
So, what is the solution to solve the friction? Simply let us socialize Halal tourism to them!
Done! It is peaceful again.

This concern stems from a combination of two factors: religion and business. From the
Department of Tourism’s point of view, tourism in Lombok is a business per se, whereas
the use of the term ‘Halal’ is perceived as a way of eliminating the old-fashioned perspec-
tive of a society that views tourism as something causing zina (unlawful sexual relations
according to Islam). By combining these two words – Halal and tourism the government
 JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS 11

can confidently create an enterprise with a high level of social acceptance. This accep-
tance, according to the Lombok Provincial government, is reflected in the significant
increase in a number of tourists who visited after the Halal tourism began being pro-
moted in Lombok.
To support the Halal tourism initiative, the Governor of West Nusa Tenggara issued two
regional decrees. The first was Governor Decree of West Nusa Tenggara Number 51/2015
about Halal tourism, and the second, Local Regulation of West Nusa Tenggara Number 2/
2016 about Halal tourism. In Governor Decree of West Nusa Tenggara Number 51/2015,
Halal tourism denotes tourist visits to destinations and industries that provide tourism pro-
ducts, services and management, and facilities that adhere to Sharia law indicators.
This study found two Halal tourism classifications, Hilal-1 and Hilal-2 for the appli-
cation of Sharia but these classifications are only applicable to the accommodation area
within the tourism industry (Battour & Ismail, 2016). Hilal-1 Sharia Hotel is a classifi-
cation for Sharia hotels catering to the minimum needs of Muslim tourists. Meanwhile,
Hilal-2 Sharia Hotel is a classification of Sharia hotels accommodating, to a moderate
level, the needs of Muslim tourists. There are, in addition, absolute and non-absolute cri-
teria in Hilal-1 and Hilal-2. In the classifications there are mandatory criteria (M) that
must be met in order for a hotel to be granted a Sharia Hotel Business Certificate,
while the non-mandatory (TM) criteria remain optional. In addition, the Governor
also granted more than twenty Halal certificates, as part of effort to standardize Halal
tourism.
This study found government is committed to exercising control over the operators
in the Halal tourism industry. However, the Council of the Special Economic Area
called Mandalika, represented by the Indonesian Tourism Development Council
(ITDC), argued that Halal tourism limits investor interest in Lombok who see Sharia
regulations as exclusive, particularly concerning the development of bars and restau-
rants. For potential investors, the term Halal, is interpreted as the exclusion of such
facilities to meet the needs of non-Muslim tourists. ITDC has counter-proposed a
more neutral phrase of ‘Muslim-friendly’ tourism. In this aspect, conforming with
the ITDC proposal would enable non-Muslim tourists to feel included and conse-
quently attract more tourists.

Discussion
This study has described how three Halal tourism destination priorities – Padang, Aceh,
and Lombok – have developed different approaches in implementing Halal tourism
policy as seen in Table 1.
Stevenson et al. (2008) observe that policy is always constructed through socio-cul-
tural processes that emphasize the importance of communication and interaction
between elements through various stakeholders. These interactions in negotiations are

Table 1. Different features of Halal tourism.

Variable Padang Aceh Lombok
Policy Root Adat (Socio-culture /customs) Qanun (Islamic legal system) Economy
Initiator Political actor Local Sharia Body Local Government Tourism Office
Policy Goal Showcasing customs through tourism Enforcing Sharia law Economic benefit-driven
12 I. PURWANDANI AND M. YUSUF

sometimes limited by other decision-makers, reflecting the complexity of the broader

cultural conditions of society that shape different environments (Stevenson et al.,
2009; Yusuf & Sterkens, 2015). This study recognizes the importance of the planning
process leading to the implementation of a Halal tourism plan. Here, the term ‘policy’
is used to reflect a broader understanding of the political and socio-cultural context of
public sector-led decision-making.
In Padang, the socio-cultural custom of ‘Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kita-
bullah’ shapes Halal tourism development. In Aceh, the government uses a top-down
approach to apply Sharia law in regulating Halal tourism policy and implementation.
Meanwhile, in Lombok, Halal tourism is incorporated in a local government marketing
strategy in order to develop its tourism industry
Padang’s philosophical values, contained in Adat Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kita-
bullah signifies, in its literal translation, that all its customs are grounded in Sharia law,
which itself follows the Qur’an as the fundamental source of Islamic teaching (Fatimah,
2018). For the Minangkabau or Minang, an ethnic group indigenous to West Sumatra,
this Islamic philosophy is central to their lives, playing a role in daily activities such as
eating and social interactions, as well as in the larger realms of politics, economics, and
culture since the coming of Islam in the seventh century (Din, 2007; Rais, 2001). Abdullah
(2018) finds that people’s social and cultural lives are constructed based on religion and
adat (local customs), both of which are fundamental sources of social order. The ulama
(Islamic scholars) are essential manifestations of both the religious and adat pillars. Reli-
gion is considered an essential part of the lives of the people of Padang (Abdullah, 201,
p. 43), for whom there is a slight separation between adat and religion in their daily
lives. The adat of a community encompasses the local rules that underlie a community
members’ daily lives and activities, ensuring they conduct themselves in ways that
follow local wisdom and religious norms, in all facets of life including in tourism activities.
The tourism industry in Padang – with or without the terminology of Halal, within Padang
society must needs also follow Islamic principles and norms so tourists are also able to
consume (Halal) needs through facilities and services offered in Padang, or Sharia-Com-
pliant Hotels and Islamic Hospitality (Henderson, 2010; Stephenson, 2014).
While Padang draws on its customs and Sharia to regulate tourism, Aceh Province has
legislated Sharia law to regulate tourism. It has created a set of provincial legal regulations
called Qanun. In tourism, the Aceh Provincial Government enacts Qanun Number 8/2013.
This law is the foundation of tourism operations in Aceh, without exception (Bustamam-
Ahmad & Zakaria, 2018; Feener, 2012) and for example, also applies to sustainable tourism
development, environmental and natural tourism management (Aswita et al., 2018). In this
regard, the start point of Halal tourism is not external or internal factors, such as a Depart-
ment of Tourism or a city’s mayor, but rather is embodied in their constitution which is
based on Sharia law (Salim, 2010). The habitus of the Acehnese people has made Islam
and its Islamic values as a central pillar in everyday life. It holds a prominent position
in Acehnese Muslim lives and the ways they carry out their daily activities (Bustamam-
Ahmad, 2016). This provincial regulation has its historic roots when the province was
an Islamic sultanate in Southeast Asia (The Jakarta Post, 2018).
In contrast to the approaches of Aceh and Padang, the government in Lombok per-
ceives Halal tourism as mainly a business activity Therefore, when the concept of
Halal is employed, the government aims to attract Muslim tourists with a marketing
 JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS 13

strategy complemented by a Halal hotel accreditation system. This context is also found
in the earlier research where Halal tourism is employed to cater to Muslim tourists’
demands as well as to market a destination (Battour et al., 2013; Harahsheh et al.,
2019). However, it should be noted that the Lombok government implemented its
Halal hotel accreditation system based on central government policy. In Lombok,
Hilal outlines a set of principles aiming to classify Sharia-compliance services and facili-
ties according to the level of Halal. Sharia compliance itself has a strong association with
Sharia Law implementation in the hotel industry (Henderson, 2010; Saad et al., 2014).
From the perspective of public policy, Padang and Aceh both use Sharia Law in reg-
ulating Halal tourism. However, in Padang, Halal tourism policy draws on a cultural nar-
rative (daily local customs) while Aceh implements Halal tourism from Sharia codified in
Qanun. While the outcome for Halal tourism looks similar in these two areas there are
differences in how these outcomes were shaped. Politically, legislating Sharia in the legal
system is supported by a number of Islamic political parties including the National
Mandate Party (Partai Amanat Nasional – PAN), the Unity and Development Party
(Partai Persatuan Pembangunan – PPP), Justice and Welfare Party (Partai Keadilan
Sejahtera – PKS), The Crescent Star Party (Partai Bulan Bintang – PBB). In Aceh, all pol-
itical parties should adopt Islamic Sharia as their ideologies (Makruf & Halimatussa’-
diyah, 2014).
In contrast to Padang and Aceh, Lombok is more plural in terms of ethnicity, reli-
gions, and cultures meaning Sharia law is not a driving imperative. Nevertheless,
Islam still coexists strongly in Lombok’s political praxis (Mutawali, 2016). Lombok
tourism development policy related to Halal tourism governance is more influenced
by business and marketing considerations. Halal tourism policy in these three regions
can be seen to be shaped by different socio-cultural and political contexts.

Conclusion
This paper aims to understand the formulation of Halal tourism policy in Padang, Aceh,
and Lombok, and to investigate the local factors affecting the implementation of Halal
tourism in the context of Indonesian tourism development. Unlike some other countries
whose focus is on providing Halal foods and prayer facilities, Indonesia has recognized
Halal tourism is derived from Sharia law whose scope affects all tourism-related indus-
tries and necessitates a national policy.
Reflecting on Padang, the initiative of its mayor, through the Department of Tourism,
reveals a measure of goodwill on the part of a high-level stakeholder. However, there
needs to be greater involvement of civil society. Padang’s local philosophy, Adat
Basandi Syarak, Syarak Basandi Kitabullah, that all customs are rooted in Sharia law
is found in locals’ daily practices. It is embedded and embodied in their lifestyle, with
or without any instruction from the government. Meanwhile, Acehnese Halal tourism
is strongly linked to the strict enforcement of Sharia law with a particular decree regulat-
ing the operation of Halal tourism. Nevertheless, the Sharia police’s upholding the Halal
tourism decree needs to be more rigorous in enforcing religious regulations relating to
Halal tourism implementation. Aceh needs to more vigorously implement Sharia law
in the areas of Halal product certification and certification of Halal hotels and restaurants
as part of Halal tourism. In Lombok, businesses are gradually implementing a
14 I. PURWANDANI AND M. YUSUF

standardized Halal concept. To this end, the government of Lombok has created a tra-
ditional Halal indicator platform to distinguish the meaning of Halal tourism.
However, the Indonesian Tourism Development Council views this as a challenging
method that limits investment in the tourist industry. The local community has also
not been engaged as part of the process of Halal tourism development.
In the past, studies have observed that Halal tourism mainly deals with providing
Halal foods and prayer facilities for Muslim visitors. The findings of this study reveal
that, beyond these general practices, Halal tourism is related to the local community
and its application of Islamic teachings that is, factors which affect Halal tourism
implementation. While each location can be said to practice Halal tourism, each is
unique in the way it carries out these practices and the values held by the people under-
taking them. There is, thus, no universal method of developing Halal tourism irrespective
of the local community charged with supporting it. Instead, it should be explicitly
implemented with the local community, principles, and customs in mind.
This paper has some limitations. The involvement of policymakers with various
agenda mean answers can be embellished or vital details concealed so as to influence
the researcher to adopt a particular viewpoint. Albeit the findings reveal useful results,
future studies could include sources who are policymakers at different levels to validate
the data. These findings would help to explain various responses in each region towards
Halal tourism policy. Theoretically, this study contributes to the field of Halal tourism
policy concepts which consists of several variables to create a context for policy formu-
lation. Meanwhile, the practical implication of the study is as reflexive input for related
stakeholders to examine further the factors and processes in formulating a regulation.
Further study in Halal tourism is recommended, which would benefit the Indonesian
government and non-government stakeholders interested in Halal tourism development
policy. Future research could go deeper into the socio-cultural context in Islamic-based
policies to avoid exclusivity and resultant tensions in wider society.

Notes
1. https://knks.go.id/berita/197/sembilan-strategi-jadikan-indonesia-destinasi-wisata-halal-
kelas-dunia?category=1 (retrieved 2 August 2021).
2. https://www.kemenparekraf.go.id/asset_admin/assets/uploads/media/pdf/media_
1593566238_Buku_Panduan_Penyelenggara_Pariwisata_Halal.pdf (retrieved 2 August
2021).
3. https://kemenparekraf.go.id/berita/Narasi-Tunggal-%3A-5-Tahun-Kembangkan-
Pariwisata-Halal%2C-Indonesia-Akhirnya-Raih-Peringkat-Pertama-Wisata-Halal-Dunia-
2019 (retrieved 2 August 2021).
4. Topic list of the interviews and FGD is attached in Annexes.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Funding
This work was supported by Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi.
 JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS 15

ORCID
Mohamad Yusuf http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7758-2705

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18 I. PURWANDANI AND M. YUSUF

Annexes
Topic list used in the interviews and FGD

Institution Questions
Government Could you kindly describe the tourist profile that visits Indonesia/this
province? Is there any data available? Could you explain the reasoning
for the data?
How is tourism development planned, in which direction, and what are
the future goals?
What rules apply (or should apply) and serve as the foundation for tourist
development? Why?
Who is involved in the development of tourism?
What exactly is your role? Why?
How is Halal tourism developing in this country?
What is the status of the Halal tourism policy development process?
Could you explain the historical sequence of Halal tourism establishment
ideas?
Who is the intended audience for Halal tourism? Is it the same as the
previous national/provincial tourist target market? Why?
How widespread is the notion of Halal tourism in Indonesia and this
province?
What steps have been taken to promote Halal tourism?
What additional parties, besides province and local government officials,
are involved in the implementation and growth of Halal tourism?
What are the various ways in which these parties are involved?
What is the strategy for promoting Halal tourism in this location?
Is Halal tourism a lucrative commodity for this tourist destination?
What are the challenges to adopting Halal tourism?
How essential do you think Halal tourism is for the growth of the
provincial/national tourist industry?
What are your aspirations for the growth of Halal tourism?
Academia Who develops the halal indicators and what is the role of MUI in the
implementation of the halal certification program;
Who are the stakeholders involved in the development of halal tourism;
Is the halal tourism development model in Indonesia different from that
in other countries, for example Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Korea, etc.?
What about the concerns of some non-Muslim tourists who are worried
about the implementation of halal, because it limits them to doing
what they like, for example: drinking alcohol, etc.
Will the implementation of halal tourism also be carried out in non-
Muslim areas, for example: Bali, Manado, etc.?
What is the projection of halal tourism after the pandemic? Will halal
tourism still be a priority for national tourism development? How is the
post-pandemic work program?
Tourism Industries (Tourism Small-Medium 1. What goods are available?
Enterprises: souvenirs etc) 2. Who is the intended market for these products?
3. How does the Halal tourism image influence the selling of these
products?
4. What are your thoughts on the growth of Halal tourism? Is it seen as
lucrative or not?
5. What are your aspirations for the growth of Halal tourism?
Tourism Industries Hotel Managers/Staffs Does the hotel follow the Halal tourism concept? Could you perhaps
explain how and why the concept has been adapted?
Who is the intended audience?
How much has Halal tourism progressed?
What is the impact of implementing the Halal tourism idea in hotels?
What are the challenges that hotels encounter while implementing the
Halal tourist concept?
Did you have any prior market development ideas? What earlier notion
was employed, and how was it applied?
Who was the intended audience?

(Continued)
 JOURNAL OF POLICY RESEARCH IN TOURISM, LEISURE AND EVENTS 19

Continued.
Institution Questions
Could you explain why you switched from the old concept to the present
Halal tourist development?
Is there any influence on the occupancy rate from not implementing the
Halal tourist concept?
Are there any difficulties in hotel management from not implementing
the Halal tourism concept?
Have there been any visitor complaints or critiques about the adoption
(or lack thereof) of the Halal tourist concept in hotels?
Is there a set of rules that regulate the management of the Halal tourist
idea (or not)? What exactly is it?
How much do you agree or disagree with this regulation? Could you
explain your reasoning?
What are your thoughts on the growth of the Halal tourism idea in this
region? Is it a good investment or not? Is it necessary to grow or not?
What are your aspirations for the future growth of tourism (or Halal
tourism)?
Local community representatives Have you ever heard of Halal tourism since you’ve been here?
What is the history of Halal tourism development in this region?
How many people reside in the Halal tourism destination region? What is
the demographic profile, particularly the degree of education, religion,
or belief?
Was there any barnstorming or seminar from any party regarding Halal
tourism development planning? When did that happen? Who carried it
out?
Is the community participating in the development of Halal tourism? If so,
what are the many ways to become involved?
How does the Halal tourism development affect the community?
What are your thoughts on the establishment of Halal tourism in this
area?
What about the growth of halal tourism at the provincial level? Is it
beneficial or harmful to the community?
Is there contact between visitors and locals? Could you kindly elaborate
on the type of encounter you had?
Do you have any idea where the tourists came from? Do locals
understand how visitors react to Halal tourism?
Does the relationship between guests and hosts have an economic and
socio-cultural influence on the community?
Are there any public objections or demonstrations against the expansion
of Halal tourism in this area?
What are your aspirations for the province’s tourist development and
Halal tourism?
Tourists 1. What drew you to this location?
2. How satisfied are you with the tourism amenities here? Could you
kindly tell us about your experiences with the attractions, accessibility,
lodging, and amenities?
3. Does the facility meet your requirements? How does it work? What are
your expectations if not?
4. Have you interacted with the locals? If so, how did it leave an effect on
you?
5. Can you tell me about your knowledge of Halal tourism?
6. What are your thoughts on the use of the Halal tourism idea here? Does
the notion of Halal tourism impede or limit your vacation plans?
7. What do you think about the completed system of the Halal tourism
idea in this province? What are your aspirations for the province’s
future tourist development?

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