Indonesians embrace Muslim lifestyle festival to promote Halal industry

• The festival involved nearly 200 Indonesian lifestyle and service brands.
• Indonesian Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan emphasizes the need for more frequent events to promote.
• The event, alongside the Muslim Edu Fest and Jakarta Halal Expo and Conference.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of Indonesians attended the country’s largest Muslim lifestyle festival, reflecting the government's push to promote and develop the local halal industry. As the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, Indonesia is actively working to boost its halal industry and tap into the substantial potential of its domestic market.

Over the weekend, nearly 200 Indonesian lifestyle and service brands participated in the 2024 Muslim Lifestyle Festival. The three-day event, which began on Friday, took place on the outskirts of Jakarta and aimed to attract at least 45,000 visitors.

“We must organize this type of activity more often so that the Muslim community can develop themselves even further 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 said during the opening ceremony on Friday.

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

Dubbed the “biggest and most comprehensive” exhibition of its kind in Indonesia, the Muslim Lifestyle Festival showcased a range of products and services. Attendees explored halal food products, Islamic books, halal-certified cosmetics, and travel offerings for Hajj and Umrah.

This year, the event, held alongside the Muslim Edu Fest and the Jakarta Halal Expo and Conference, included Islamic education presentations and public discussions with halal industry leaders. In October, the Ministry of Trade will host its annual Trade Expo Indonesia and Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week, both aiming to attract thousands of domestic and international visitors.

Nia Niscaya, an expert at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, said in a statement that such events can help “maximize the huge potential of the halal industry” and “strengthen Indonesia’s position as a leader in the global halal industry and Islamic economy.”

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

Amid government efforts to boost the local halal industry, Indonesia advanced one spot by the end of 2023 in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, which ranks countries with the strongest Islamic economies.

Southeast Asia’s largest economy now holds the third position, just behind Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

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