"Halal certification is not only about administrative compliance. It is also part of improving tourism products and services, strengthening tourist confidence, and expanding economic benefits for communities in tourism destinations," she said in a joint statement with the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) on Thursday.
The tourism village halal certification program is a follow-up to cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and BPJPH, which began with pilot projects at 20 tourism destinations in 2025.
As of May 30, 2026, the collaboration had resulted in the issuance of 31,548 halal certificates across 1,119 tourism destinations in 34 provinces.
Widiyanti commended BPJPH for accelerating halal certification for tourism village businesses across Indonesia.
As of May 29, BPJPH had facilitated the issuance of 31,548 halal certificates for 20,237 micro and small enterprises (MSEs) operating in 1,116 tourism villages across 37 provinces.
"We highly appreciate BPJPH for this halal certification program. Going forward, this synergy will be further strengthened so that Indonesia's tourism destinations become higher-quality, more sustainable, more competitive, and provide tangible benefits to local communities," Widiyanti said.
Meanwhile, BPJPH Head Ahmad Haikal Hasan said the achievement reflected stronger government collaboration in building the national halal ecosystem while enhancing the competitiveness of Indonesia's tourism sector.
However, he emphasized that the achievement was only the beginning, considering the vast untapped potential of tourism villages and business actors across Indonesia.
"Halal product assurance is not merely an instrument for consumer protection. Halal is also an instrument of economic empowerment that can increase product added value, expand market access, strengthen consumer trust, and improve the competitiveness of micro and small enterprises," Haikal said.
According to him, when products from tourism villages obtain halal certification, market confidence rises, business opportunities increase, and economic benefits can be felt directly by local communities.
"Therefore, accelerating halal certification in tourism villages is part of efforts to strengthen the people's economy, empower micro and small enterprises, and improve the welfare of village communities," he said.
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Translator: Arnidhya Nur, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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