The Indonesia Muslim Travel Index (IMTI) 2019 was officially launched at the 2nd Floor Lobby of the Sapta Pesona Building, Ministry of Tourism office, on Friday afternoon (4/8). The IMTI 2019 is a reference in the global standardization of 2019 Indonesian halal tourism destinations with reference to GMTI (Global Muslim Travel Index). Indonesia this year targets to be ranked first as the best halal tourism destination in the world, GMTI version or in the top position (top ranking) of the position currently ranked second with the United Arab Emirates.
Minister of Tourism (Menpar) Arief Yahya asserted, Indonesia is one of the countries counted in the halal tourism industry of the world. Therefore, as a global player or global player Indonesia must use global standards, namely the IMTI 2019 which adopts the GMTI standard.
“Menpar targets this year’s halal tourism to reach 5 million foreign tourists or growing from last year’s position of 2.6 million Muslim tourists, with data realization up to November 2018 reaching 2.4 million Muslim tourists,” said Deputy of Development Industry and Institutions of the Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia, Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani at a press conference just after the launching of the 2019 IMTI.
Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani accompanied by Indonesian Mastercard Director, Tommy Singgih, as well as CEO of CrescentRating and Halal Trip Fazal Bahardeen on the occasion explained that 42% of Indonesia’s halal tourism growth target is in line with the growth of a significant’s halal tourism in the world. It is projected that the amount of halal tourism tourism expenditure will reach US $ 274 billion in 2023 or grow above 7.6%, while in 2017 the total expenditure of world Muslim tourists reached US $ 177 billion.
The IMTI 2019 which refers to GMTI global standards, said Ni Wayan Giri, adopted 4 GMTI criteria which include Access, Communication, Environment, and Services (ACES), each of which consists of three components. For Access consists of; visa requirements, water connetivity, transport infrastructure. Communication component consists of; outreach, ease of communication, and digital presence. The Environment component consists of; safety and culture, visitor arrivals, and enabling climate, while the Services component consists of; core needs (halal food and prayers); core services (hotels, airports), and unique experiences.
Safdar Khan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei Division President of Mastercard explained, since 2015 Mastercard and CrescentRating have collaborated to help governments in Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, to work together with business people in the tourism industry to meet the needs of Muslim tourists and empower all stakeholders by providing various information needed to improve service and travel experience for Muslim tourists.
“A very significant increase in the tourism sector in various provinces in Indonesia is the result of years of planning, investment and infrastructure development processes by the Ministry of Tourism. Mastercard is committed to supporting the Indonesian government in achieving its target of becoming one of the leaders in the field of halal tourism through the provision of in-depth insight into this tourism segment and a strong commitment to cooperation, “Safdar Khan said.
Meanwhile CEO of CrescentRating and HalalTrip, Fazal Bahardeen said, halal tourism provides a great opportunity for Indonesia to expand its economic development.
“Indonesia has several comparative advantages such as a country with the largest Muslim population in the world, has many beautiful beaches, basic infrastructure, and diverse cultural heritage. This makes Indonesia in the right position to become one of the best global halal tourist destinations. “The IMTI will help stakeholders in the tourism sector to play an important role in accelerating the growth of halal tourism in Indonesia,” Fazal Bahardeen.
This year is the second year of implementing GMTI global standards in assessing the performance of leading halal tourism destinations in Indonesia. A total of 10 leading Indonesian halal tourism destinations are assessed using this standard, namely: Lombok, Aceh, Jakarta, West Sumatra, Yogyakarta, West Java, Riau Islands, Malang, Central Java, and Makassar and its surroundings. In the coming year the Ministry of Tourism will continue to encourage the development of other halal tourism destinations so that more choice of destinations and strengthen the position of competitiveness of Indonesian halal tourism at the global level.
