Indonesia is expanding its Muslim-friendly tourism sector by developing 15 provinces as priority destinations for Muslim travelers, the Ministry of Tourism announced.

Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said the provinces were selected based on the Indonesia Muslim Travel Index, which is aligned with the Global Muslim Travel Index. The designated destinations include Aceh, Riau, Riau Islands, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, South Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

To support the initiative, the ministry is promoting Muslim-friendly events through the Karisma Event Nusantara program, including the Aceh Ramadhan Festival, Aceh Culinary Festival, Muslim Life Fest, and the Batam Takbir Parade.

A dedicated Muslim-Friendly Travel page has also been launched on the Indonesia.travel website, offering information on destinations, places of worship, event calendars, and Muslim-friendly travel packages.

Wardhana said Indonesia is continuing to diversify its tourism offerings with halal culinary experiences, religious tourism, and spiritually inspired wellness programs, while strengthening support for tourism businesses.

The ministry is also seeking to attract more visitors from Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states, particularly Saudi Arabia, as well as from non-OIC markets with growing demand for Muslim-friendly travel, including Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.