From Iconic Mosques to Minang Cuisine, West Sumatra Projected to Become a Muslim Tourism Magnet

The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Tourism, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the strengthening of West Sumatra province as a gastronomic tourism destination as well as a Muslim-friendly tourism destination. This effort is part of the national strategy to encourage growth in the culture-based, culinary, and religious tourism sector. During a working visit to West Sumatra on Wednesday (29/4), Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana stated that West Sumatra has great potential that continues to need strengthening. She emphasised the importance of fulfilling the needs of the destination, both in terms of infrastructure, investment, and strengthening promotion. The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy is also ready to collaborate with the tourism office and industry players to develop travel packages that highlight the strengths of Padang City’s gastronomy and West Sumatra as a whole. During the visit, the Tourism Minister toured several shopping and culinary tourism centres, as well as the Masjid Raya Syekh Ahmad Khatib Al-Minangkabawi in Padang City. The mosque, which stands without a dome and adopts the form of the Minangkabau traditional house, is considered one of the important symbols of the richness of Minangkabau culture. She revealed that the uniqueness of this mosque’s architecture has attracted the attention of many visitors when exhibited at the international ITB Berlin event. West Sumatra has been recognised as a Muslim-friendly tourism destination, even entering the top five in the Indonesia Muslim Travel Index (IMTI) 2025. This recognition strengthens the province’s position as a favourite destination for domestic and international Muslim tourists. In addition to the religious sector, the government also emphasises the importance of promoting West Sumatra’s cuisine, which has been widely known internationally. To support this, the Wonderful Indonesia Gastronomi event is scheduled to take place in West Sumatra in 2027.