Visioning Pesantren Istana Quran as an Eco-Religious Edu-Tourism Destination in Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. This study aims to bridge the gap among the religious, environmental, and tourism aspects by suggesting a comprehensive framework for transforming Islamic boarding schools into environmentally friendly religious-based tourism destinations. Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia which are commonly known as “pondok pesantren” are pivotal institutions in providing education and religious guidance to the students (“santri”). However, the idea of transforming it into a religious-based edu-tourism destination is something new. Using qualitative field research, a participatory case study, and a survey, this research was run in Muhammadiyah-owned Pondok Pesantren Istana Qur’an (literally means “The Palace of Holy Qur’an”) located in Banjarnegara, Central Java. This study found that the idea of edu-tourism originally came from the stakeholders’ vision to create a distinct and attractive boarding school. Nevertheless, Muhammadiyah as a modern and progressive Islamic movement prefers to emphasize the futuristic image of distinction rather than the old-fashioned religious tourism destinations that rely on memories of their founders or the tombs of saints (“walis”). Therefore, the idea is developed to integrate three main dimensions: religious enrichment, tourism development, and environmental sustainability. Conclusively, this paper serves as a foundation for further research and practical initiatives aimed at actualizing the vision.