At-Thohir Mosque Designated as Pilot Project for International Muslim-Friendly Tourism

The Provincial Government of West Java has designated the Rest Area of Toll Road Km 88 and At-Thohir Mosque in Depok City as a pilot project for structuring tourism infrastructure that meets international Muslim-friendly standardisation. “Tourism today cannot be managed in the old way, but it must be built with strong data, the right policies, broad collaboration and an inclusive approach,” West Java Deputy Governor Erwan Setiawan said in remarks in Bandung. Erwan explained that as a region with 97 percent of the population being Muslim, West Java has a great urgency to overhaul its tourism governance to reach the global market, especially travellers from Malaysia, Singapore, to the Middle East. Through the integration of the National Tourism Development Index (IPKN) data, the provincial government can now map tourism investments based on accurate and verified data. The head of the Tourism and Culture Department of West Java Province, Iendra Sofyan, explained that the tactical step of this appointment was set in conjunction with the launch of the Smiling West Java-Muslim Friendly Tourism (SWJ-MFT) Award 2026 and the publication of the achievements of West Java National Tourism Development (IPKN) at At-Thohir Mosque, Depok City, Thursday (9/7/2026). Iendra explained that the project at Rest Area Km 88 will focus on standardising the infrastructure of places of worship as well as strict curation of halal cuisine. Meanwhile, the At-Thohir Mosque is projected and designated as one of the main religious tourist attractions in West Java through the digitalisation of the ministry. “This activity is not just an awards event, but a momentum to improve standardisation through mentoring and intensive training workshops related to hospitality,” Iendra said. To expand this ecosystem, the SWJ-MFT Award 2026 opened a Muslim-friendly standardisation competition covering eight operational categories, namely Muslim-friendly Tourism District/City, Muslim-friendly Hotels, Muslim-friendly Restaurants, Muslim-friendly Natural Tourism Attraction, Muslim-friendly Cultural Heritage Tourist Attraction, Muslim-friendly Artificial Tourism Attraction, Muslim-friendly Tourism Village, and Muslim-friendly Mall.