Tourism Strategist and Founder of Temannya Wisatawan, Taufan Rahmadi, believes that the development of halal tourism or Muslim-friendly tourism can be one of the sub-programs of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD.
"The development of halal tourism is about lifestyle and extended services that are intended for tourists who specifically need halal services while on vacation," Taufan said in his statement on Friday (20/10/2023).
In addition, halal tourism also speaks about the business opportunities in capturing the Muslim tourist market worldwide. "It is important to note that Indonesia ranks at the top of Muslim-friendly destinations in the world according to the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2023 issued by Mastercard and Crescent Rating," he explained.
Regarding the World Maritime Tourism program, which is also a target of Ganjar-Mahfud's work, Taufan believes that this is not separate from the challenges that have always been a classic problem in the field. He gave examples such as optimizing the potential of coastal areas and small islands, especially in terms of fishing activities and maritime tourism development. There is also the issue of inadequate connectivity, which affects the high cost of maritime tourism packages in popular areas. Furthermore, environmental issues often cause damage to maritime tourist attractions due to pollution or human activities. "Marine spatial planning requires attention, tourism zoning, maritime conservation, and regulation of visitor limits to preserve the existing underwater ecosystems in those areas," he explained.
Taufan revealed that Ganjar and Mahfud's vision and mission regarding the tourism and creative economy sector reflect their desire to continue the programs that have been implemented during the Jokowi-Amin era.