“Halal” tourism: Turkey and Indonesia move up a gear

Turkey and Indonesia want to work together to develop halal tourism. Representatives from both countries met at the headquarters of TÜRSAB, the Turkish Association of Travel Agencies.

At the center of the discussions: improving the services offered to Muslim travelers, raising awareness of the destinations of the two countries and thinking about common standards in halal tourism. The Indonesian delegation included officials from the National Standards Agency of Indonesia, as well as representatives from the Indonesian Consulate in Istanbul. On the Turkish side, the meeting was notably organized by Mr. Salih Kutoğlu, head of the Hajj and Umrah sector within TÜRSAB.

The two countries also want to encourage more Indonesian tourists to visit Turkey, and vice versa. Joint promotional campaigns and projects around welcoming Muslim travelers could thus see the light of day.

The figures show the importance taken by this market. In 2024, approximately 176 million Muslim tourists traveled internationally. There could be 245 million in 2030, for expenditure estimated at nearly $230 billion. Asia already occupies a central place in this sector, with nearly 128 million Muslim travelers welcomed. Turkey and Indonesia are among the destinations best positioned to meet the expectations of this clientele.

No official agreement has yet been signed, but both parties now want to move on to concrete projects. This meeting above all shows that halal tourism has become a real economic issue. Turkey already has a highly developed tourism industry, while Indonesia represents one of the largest Muslim markets in the world. By working together, the two countries can attract more Muslim travelers and strengthen their place in a fast-growing market.