Tens of thousands attend Indonesia’s biggest Muslim lifestyle festival amid efforts to strengthen halal industry
Tens of thousands of Indonesians gathered for the nation’s largest Muslim lifestyle festival on Sunday, reflecting ongoing efforts by the government to advance the halal industry.
As the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, Indonesia is striving to capitalize on the vast potential of its domestic market. The 2024 Muslim Lifestyle Festival, which began on Friday near Jakarta, featured nearly 200 local brands. The event, which lasted three days, aimed to attract at least 45,000 visitors.
Indonesian Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan underscored the importance of such events. “We need more gatherings like this to help our Muslim community thrive,” he remarked at the opening ceremony. “Our focus should be on expanding the halal food industry, our economy, entrepreneurship, fashion, and education.”
The minister stressed the need for greater productivity, adding, “We must establish dominance in both local and global markets.”
Promoted as Indonesia’s most extensive exhibition of its kind, the Muslim Lifestyle Festival offered a wide array of products and services. These included halal foods, Islamic literature, halal-certified beauty products, and packages for Hajj and Umrah travel.
This year’s festival was held in conjunction with the Muslim Edu Fest and the Jakarta Halal Expo and Conference. These accompanying events provided Islamic education sessions and featured discussions with key figures in the halal industry.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of Trade plans to host its annual Trade Expo Indonesia and the Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week in October. These events are expected to draw significant crowds from both within the country and abroad.
According to Nia Niscaya, an expert with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, such initiatives are crucial for tapping into the substantial potential of the halal industry. "These events will reinforce Indonesia’s leadership in the global halal economy,” she said. “They also contribute to the inclusive and sustainable growth of our national economy.”
Indonesia’s commitment to boosting its halal sector has already borne fruit. By the end of 2023, the country advanced in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, which ranks the world’s leading Islamic economies.
Now, Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, holds third place, trailing only Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
