Business · Singapore Bureau
Indonesia encourages pilgrims to bypass regional hubs for direct umrah routes
Indonesian authorities are promoting direct travel routes for umrah pilgrims to avoid transiting through Singapore and Malaysia, citing economic benefits for domestic tourism operators.
LSN Singapore ·
Indonesia has launched an initiative encouraging Muslim pilgrims undertaking the umrah pilgrimage to travel directly rather than transit through neighboring Singapore and Malaysia, in a bid to capture more spending within the country's economy.
The push reflects Indonesia's strategy to strengthen its position as a regional Islamic tourism hub and ensure that the substantial revenue generated by umrah travellers benefits local businesses and service providers. Umrah pilgrims typically spend money on accommodation, meals, transportation and shopping before departing for Saudi Arabia.
By promoting direct routes from Indonesian airports, authorities aim to reduce the diversion of pilgrim spending to transit hubs in the region. Officials argue that streamlining travel logistics and offering competitive pricing on domestic routes can incentivize pilgrims to keep their expenditure within Indonesia.
The initiative comes as Indonesia seeks to maximize economic gains from its large Muslim population and position itself as a key player in the growing Islamic tourism sector across Southeast Asia. Industry analysts note that pilgrimage tourism represents significant revenue potential for the country.
It remains unclear whether the campaign will include incentives or regulatory measures to support the direct routing proposal.
Photo: Passengers at the check-in hall of Terminal 3, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, January 2025. Medelam via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).