Indonesia: Muslim lifestyle festival breaks attendance records as push for halal industry intensifies

Tens of thousands of Indonesians flocked to the country’s largest Muslim lifestyle festival on Sunday, as the government pushes to advance and expand the local halal industry.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, is focused on accelerating the growth of its halal sector, aiming to leverage the significant potential of its domestic market.

The 2024 Muslim Lifestyle Festival, held over the weekend, saw participation from nearly 200 Indonesian lifestyle and service brands. The three-day event, which commenced on Friday, took place on the outskirts of Jakarta, drawing a target audience of at least 45,000 visitors.

“We must organize this type of activity more often so that the Muslim community can develop themselves even farther in economy, education and halal food. Let’s shift from any disagreement and turn the energy to develop halal food, economy, entrepreneurship, fashion and education,” Indonesian Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan stated during Friday’s opening ceremony.

“We must be productive and develop further. We have to dominate the local and global market,” he added.

Promoted as the “biggest and most comprehensive” exhibition of its kind in Indonesia, the Muslim Lifestyle Festival showcased a range of products and services including halal food items, Islamic literature, halal-certified cosmetics, and travel packages for Hajj and Umrah.

This year, the festival was held concurrently with the Muslim Edu Fest and the Jakarta Halal Expo and Conference, featuring Islamic education presentations and public discussions with leaders in the halal industry.

In October, the Ministry of Trade will host the annual Trade Expo Indonesia and Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week, both designed to attract thousands of domestic and international visitors.

Such events are expected to “maximize the huge potential of the halal industry” and “strengthen Indonesia’s position as a leader in the global halal industry and Islamic economy,” according to Nia Niscaya, an expert at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.

“It can also further boost the inclusive and sustainable development of our nation’s economy,” she added.

In line with these efforts, Indonesia climbed one position in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator by the end of 2023, ranking third globally behind Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.