Developing Halal Tourist Destination: Investigating Lombok’s Potentials from Destination Marketing Perspective

Abstract

Lombok is one of the most Muslim-populated Islands of Indonesia and is entitled ‘island of a thousand mosques’. Such status may be one of the reasons behind the plan of Indonesian Government to develop Lombok as an Islamic (halal-friendly) tourist destination in Indonesia. This study is aimed at investigating the potentials of Lombok and its surroundings (a number of small islands or gilis around Lombok) to adopt the Islamic principles (followed to develop halal-friendly tourist destination) from the destination marketing perspectives. Data was collected from electronic and non-electronic promotional materials used by tourism agencies and private tourism enterprises (travel agents, hotels, and restaurants) in promoting Lombok and its surroundings. The data was then analyzed using content analysis approach. The study finds two main categories: (1) the potential halal-friendly tourist destinations, including all tourist destinations from within Lombok Island, and (2) the moderate halal-friendly tourist destinations, including the gilis. These findings suggest that the Islamic tourism principles can be adopted by all tourism enterprises in Lombok, and used to market Lombok as a halal-friendly tourist destination. However, such principles cannot be fully adopted by all tourism enterprises on the gilis. Instead, the halal-friendly tourism can be adopted by individual tourism enterprises and used as an individual market positioning on the gilis. The study brings implications to both tourism studies and management.