Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno urges Eid al-Fitr travelers in 2023 to support MSMEs by buying their products in hometowns, promoting religious tourism.

Indonesia’s Tourism and Creative Economy Minister, Sandiaga Uno, has encouraged people who travel during the 2023 Eid al-Fitr exodus to support their hometowns’ economies by purchasing goods from micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in these regions. During his sermon at the Istiqlal Mosque on 12 April, Uno said that this would help ensure that finances circulate not just in cities but in villages as well. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had strengthened the country’s finances, particularly in the creative economy sector. In this regard, the ministry aims to strengthen the sector further through various initiatives, such as creating a Mosque Exploration Exodus catalog which includes mosques on commonly used routes. By highlighting the community’s selling points, such as historical landmarks, figures, and buildings, the ministry hopes to boost religious tourism and support surrounding MSMEs. Uno said that religious tourism was an ideal form of tourism for Indonesia, considering the country is home to the world’s largest Muslim population and at least 751 thousand mosques. Mosques not only are centres for worship but are also central to social affairs and Islamic brotherhood. Uno cited the Istiqlal Mosque as an example of a mosque that has historical, cultural, and educational value and possesses Green Mosque certification, which is among the world’s best. He expressed hope that the community would work together to develop mosque tourism that would support the country’s MSMEs and build a nation that gathers the goodness of its nature and people’s behaviour.