JAKARTA – West Sumatra has once again captured attention in Indonesia’s halal tourism landscape, demonstrating substantial improvements in its Muslim-friendly tourism infrastructure according to the latest IMTI (Indonesia Muslim Travel Index) 2025 report.

Significant Enhancement Across Multiple Areas

The province has shown notable progress not only in fundamental facilities but also in the overall experience offered to Muslim travelers. R. Wisnu Rahtomo, who leads the IMTI 2025 evaluation team from the Enhaii Halal Tourism Center at NHI Bandung Tourism Polytechnic, emphasized that the improvements encompass both basic infrastructure and experiential elements, positioning West Sumatra as an increasingly viable high-quality halal destination.

Four Pillars of Muslim-Friendly Tourism Show Growth

The evaluation reveals advancement across all four essential components of Muslim-friendly tourism:

Accessibility Improvements Transportation systems have become more accommodating to Muslim travelers, with enhanced public transit options and improved navigation resources. The ease of reaching tourist facilities and attractions has been significantly upgraded.

Enhanced Communication Systems
Multilingual information services, including English-language resources, are now more readily available. Tourists can easily access guides for halal restaurants, prayer schedules, and worship facilities throughout the region.

Environmental Standards The tourism environment has seen substantial upgrades in cleanliness, security, and overall comfort. Adequate sanitation facilities and well-maintained prayer spaces have become standard features across tourist areas.

Professional Service Quality Hospitality services from accommodations, restaurants, travel agencies, and tourism staff have become more professional, friendly, and responsive to Muslim travelers’ specific needs.

National Recognition and Assessment Process

The IMTI 2025 evaluation covers 15 provinces designated by Indonesia’s Ministry of Tourism, including Aceh, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, Riau, Riau Islands, Banten, DKI Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, South Kalimantan, Gorontalo, South Sulawesi, and West Nusa Tenggara.

M. Romi Oktaviano from the IMTI team highlighted the comprehensive nature of this national assessment process.

Provincial Government’s Commitment

Luhur Budianda, Head of West Sumatra’s Tourism Department, stressed the importance of this evaluation in establishing the province’s position among Indonesia’s premier Muslim-friendly destinations.

“While we can claim to be Muslim-friendly based on our 98% Muslim population, achieving national and international recognition requires meeting specific assessment standards,” Budianda explained.

Building on Previous Success

In 2023, West Sumatra achieved third place in Indonesia’s national Muslim-friendly tourism rankings, trailing behind West Nusa Tenggara and Aceh. The provincial government anticipates improved positioning in the IMTI 2025 results, reflecting the enhanced quality across all evaluated categories.

Future Outlook

The IMTI 2025 findings indicate that West Sumatra is maturing as a comprehensive Muslim-friendly destination, offering increasingly complete experiences and continuously developing facilities. This progress signals the province’s growing readiness to compete at both national and international levels in the halal tourism sector.

The systematic improvements across accessibility, communication, environment, and service quality demonstrate West Sumatra’s serious commitment to establishing itself as a premier destination for Muslim travelers seeking authentic and comfortable tourism experiences.

Original article:

sumbar.suara.com. (n.d.). Indeks Pariwisata Halal Sumbar 2025 Meningkat versi IMTI, Ini Alasannya. Retrieved August 20, 2025, from https://sumbar.suara.com/read/2025/08/20/073650/indeks-pariwisata-halal-sumbar-2025-meningkat-versi-imti-ini-alasannya