Bridging Sustainability and Spirituality: Halal Eco-Tourism Practices in Indonesia

Authors

  • Kuat Ismanto Universitas Islam Negeri K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan image/svg+xml
  • Hendri Hermawan Adinugraha Universitas Islam Negeri K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid Pekalongan image/svg+xml
  • Moses Adeolu Agoi Lagos State University of Education image/svg+xml

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32332/ijie.v8i01.13449

Keywords:

Community-Based Tourism; Halal Eco-Tourism; Islamic Tourism Ethics; Maqasid al-Shariah; Sustainable Tourism.

Abstract

Objective: This research aims to examine the integration of halal ecotourism and sustainable tourism practices, and to explore how ecotourism grounded in Islamic ethical values contributes to environmental, economic, and socio-cultural sustainability. Method: This research employs a qualitative case-based approach. Researchers have conducted observations in tourist destinations and interviewed 10 informants. Data were analysed by analysing community-managed nature-based tourism destinations across mountainous, riverine, and coastal areas in Pekalongan Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. Result: The findings show that local communities manage most tourism destinations and implicitly apply halal principles, including environmental stewardship, provision of halal facilities, social ethics, and active community participation, which collectively reflect the three pillars of sustainable tourism and align with the maqasid al-shariah framework. Implication: This suggests that combining planning, implementation, and evaluation in a community-based halal eco-tourism framework can strengthen sustainable tourism development by integrating ecological conservation, local economic empowerment, and socio-cultural well-being. Originality or Novelty: This study offers a novel integrative model of halal eco-tourism as a value-driven approach to sustainable tourism, positioning it beyond a niche religious market and contributing to an alternative paradigm for future tourism development.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Adinugraha, H. H., Sholehuddin, M. S., & Nasrudin, M. (2025). Penerapan Prinsip-prinsip Ekoteologi dalam Pengembangan Pariwisata di Pekalongan. Penerbit NEM.

Affandi, F., Prajanti, S. D. W., & Yulianto, A. (2023). Local Wisdom-Based Ecotourism Development Strategy for Lolong Adventure Area, Pekalongan Regency. Journal of Economic Education, 12(1), 55–64. https://doi.org/10.15294/jeec.v12i1.71869

Alazaizeh, M. (2014). Sustainable Heritage Tourism: A Tourist-Oriented Approach for Managing Petra Archaeological Park. Graduate School of Clemson University.

Andari, R., Puspito, H., & Setiyorini, D. (2016). Green tourism role in creating sustainable Urban Tourism. South East Asia Journal of Contemporary Business, Economics and Law, 11(2), 18–26.

Auda, J. (2008). Maqasid al-shariah: A beginner’s guide (Vol. 14). International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT).

Baidhowi, M. M., & Triwibowo, A. (2025). Halal Awareness on Self-Declared Halal Certification Program. EKOBIS SYARIAH, 9(1), 26–32. https://doi.org/10.22373/EKOBIS.V9I1.29100

Battour, M., & Ismail, M. N. (2016). Halal tourism: Concepts, Practises, Challenges and Future. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19, 150–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.12.008

Belsoy, J., Korir, J., & Yego, J. (2012). Environmental impacts of tourism in protected areas. Journal of Environment and Earth Science, 2(10), 64–73.

Blamey, R. K. (2001). Principles of ecotourism. In The encyclopedia of ecotourism (pp. 5–22). Cabi Publishing, Wallingford, UK. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851993683.0005

Burns, P., & Bibbings, L. (2009). The end of tourism? Climate change and societal challenges. Twenty-First Century Society, 4(1), 31–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/17450140802642424

Carter, N. (2014). The use of triangulation in qualitative research. Number 5/September 2014, 41(5), 545–547. https://doi.org/10.1188/14.onf.545-547

Chan, J. K. L., Marzuki, K. M., & Mohtar, T. M. (2021). Local community participation and responsible tourism practices in an ecotourism destination: A case of the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah: Sustainability, 13(23), 13302. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313302

Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative enquiry & research design, choosing among five approaches. In the book. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aenj.2008.02.005

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. (2011). Handbook of Qualitative Research - Contents and Index. In Handbook of Qualitative Research.

Fennell, D. (2007). Ecotourism: Third Edition. In Ecotourism: Third Edition (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203939581

Fennell, D. (2012). Ecotourism. In The Routledge Handbook of Tourism and the Environment (pp. 323–333). Routledge.

Heintzman, P. (2009). Nature-based recreation and spirituality: A complex relationship. Leisure Sciences, 32(1), 72–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400903430897

Hunter, C. (1997). Sustainable Tourism as An Adaptive Paradigm. Annals of Tourism Research, 24(4), 850–867.

Ismanto, K., Ghofur, A., & Fakir, F. Z. (2020). Developing Halal Tourism from a Maqasid Sharia Perspective. HIKMATUNA Journal for Integrative Islamic Studies, 6(2), 103–114. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.28918/hikmatuna.v6i2.2889

Ismanto, K., Ghofur, A., & Fakir, F. Z. (2021). Developing Halal Tourism from a Maqasid Sharia Perspective. HIKMATUNA: Journal for Integrative Islamic Studies, 6(2), 103–114. https://doi.org/10.28918/hikmatuna.v6i2.2889

Ismanto, K., Rofiq, A., Ghofur, A., & Adinugraha, H. H. (2021). The Concept of Maqasid asy-Syariah al-Ghazali as Halal Industry Development Perspective. Social Sciences and Education Research Review, 8(1), 6. https://doi.org/DOI:10.5281/zenodo.5090757

Khairuldin, W., Anas, W., Imas, M., Hassan, A. B., Embong, A. H., Lukman, N. H. Z., & Yusuf, M. (2024). Philosophy and ethics in halal tourism: a conceptual analysis. International Journal of Religion, 5(11), 486–493. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.61707/gsrdnf74

Khalid, S. R., & Ali, B. (2023). Exploring spiritual and religious aspects of sustainable tourism development: A case of spiritual tourism. Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 11(3), 3019–3026. https://doi.org/10.52131/pjhss.2023.1103.0590

Khan, N., Falahat, M., Ullah, I., Sikandar, H., & Van, N. T. (2025). Integrating halal tourism with sustainable development goals through Islamic values, environmental responsibility, and technological innovation. Discover Sustainability, 6(1), 648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01503-3

Kiper, T. (2013). Role of ecotourism in sustainable development. In Advances in Landscape Architecture. In Tech. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55749

Lee, J., Lee, H., Chung, N., & Koo, C. (2017). An Integrative Model of the Pursuit of Happiness and the Role of Smart Tourism Technology: A Case of International Tourists in Seoul. In Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2017 (pp. 173–186). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51168-9_13

Liu, Z. (2003). Sustainable Tourism Development: A Critique. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 11(6), 459–475. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580308667216

Lu, J., & Nepal, S. K. (2009). Sustainable tourism research: an analysis of papers published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580802582480

Mandić, A., & Walia, S. K. (2023). The Routledge handbook of nature based tourism development. Routledge, New York, NY.

March, A. F. (2019). The caliphate of man: popular sovereignty in modern Islamic thought. Belknap Press.

Mastercard Crescent Rating. (2019). Global Muslim Travel Index 2019. Www.Crcentrating.Com.

Mastercard Crescent Rating. (2023). Global Muslim Travel Index 2023 (Issue June).

Mihalic, T. (2016). Sustainable-responsible tourism discourse–Towards ‘responsible’ tourism. Journal of Cleaner Production, 111, 461–470. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.12.062

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (2020). Qualitative Data Analysis: Handout. SAGE Publications Inc.

Mohsin, A., Ramli, N., & Alkhulayfi, B. A. (2016). “Halal tourism: Emerging opportunities.” Tourism Management Perspectives, 19, 137–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.12.010

Muslim, H. F. M., & Mohd Parid, M. (2025). Ecotourism And Local Livelihoods: Addressing Gaps in Community Participation and Benefit-Sharing. Transforming Agriculture, Forestry and Plantation for a Changing World: Towards Resilient Ecosystem and Inclusive, 376.

Nair, V., Mohamed, B., Thomas, T. K., & Teare, R. (2016). How can the tourism industry respond to the global challenges arising from climate change and environmental degradation? Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 8(5), 611–616. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-07-2016-0039

Norazami, F., Anuar, A., & Zani, R. (2025). Halal tourism : An integrative review of concepts, challenges, and future directions. 13(2). https://doi.org/10.24191/jeeir.v13i2.4486

Pratiwi, M., & Andarini, R. S. (2020). Adaptasi Muslim Milenial dalam Perjalanan Wisata Halal di Negara Non-Muslim. Mediakom: Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 4(1), 46–61. https://doi.org/10.35760/mkm.2020.v4i1.2495

Souza, A., Gabriela, R., Fialho, G., & Freitas, M. (2022). Antecedents of the intention to visit ecotourism destinations that have suffered environmental disasters. Tourism Management Perspectives, 41(February), 100942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2022.100942

Stone, M. T. (2015). Community-based ecotourism: A collaborative partnerships perspective. Journal of Ecotourism, 14(2–3), 166–184. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2015.1023309

Stronza, A. L., Hunt, C. A., & Fitzgerald, L. A. (2019). Ecotourism for conservation? Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 44(1), 229–253. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-101718-033046

Teressa, D. K. (2015). Development of Community-Based Ecotourism in Wenchi Crater Lake, Ethiopia: Challenges and Prospects. Journal of Hospitality Management and Tourism, 6(4), 39–46. https://doi.org/10.5897/jhmt2014.0133

Timothy, D. J., Mohsin, A., & Ryan, C. (2019). Halal Tourism. In the Routledge Handbook on Tourism in the Middle East and North Africa. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315624525-23

Triwibowo, A., Baidhowi, M. M., & Sugeng, A. (2023). Good and Bad Corporate Social Responsibility from an Islamic Business Ethics Perspective. Adzkiya : Jurnal Hukum Dan Ekonomi Syariah, 11(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.32332/ADZKIYA.V11I2.7683

Triwibowo, A., Pratomo, D., Sya’adi, N., & Adam, M. A. (2022). Comparative Study of Hisbah Institutions and Consumer Protection Institutions In Indonesia: A Review of Islamic Business Ethics. International Journal of Islamic Economics, 4(02), 121–135. https://doi.org/10.32332/IJIE.V4I02.5554

Turizm, H., Kuşaklar, T., & Bir, Ü. (2023). Halal Tourism Trends : An Application to Generations. Halal Tourism Trends: An Application on Generations, 13(1), 45–57. https://doi.org/10.14230/johut1326

Ustaoğlu, M. (2023). Maqasid Al-Sharia/h. In The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Islamic Finance and Economics (pp. 1–5). Springer.

Vargas-sánchez, A., & Moral-moral, M. (2018). Halal Tourism: State of The Art. Tourism Review. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-01-2018-0015

Vargas-Sánchez, A., & Moral-Moral, M. (2019). Halal tourism: literature review and experts’ view. Journal of Islamic Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-04-2017-0039

Wani, N. H., & Azhar, A. (2024). Islamic environmental ethics: Preserving the sacred balance. International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR), 6(3), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2024.v06i03.20924

Wijayani, A., Priyadi, U., Iriantini, D. B., Thamrin, H. M., Aji, H. M., & Muafi. (2018). Agro-ecotourism management in disaster-affected areas. Proceedings of the 31st International Business Information Management Association Conference, IBIMA 2018: Innovation Management and Education Excellence through Vision 2020.

Wildan, & Sukardi. (2017). Ecotourism Model Based on Social Capital (Halal Tourism) as the Strengthening Factor for the Economy of Lombok Community Ecotourism Model Based on Social Capital (Halal Tourism) as the Strengthening Factor for the Economy of Lombok Community. In the 2nd Asian Education Symposium (AES 2017), January. https://doi.org/10.5220/0007303703290333

Downloads

Published

2026-06-10

How to Cite

Bridging Sustainability and Spirituality: Halal Eco-Tourism Practices in Indonesia (K. Ismanto, H. H. Adinugraha, & M. Adeolu Agoi, Trans.). (2026). International Journal of Islamic Economics, 8(01), 93-105. https://doi.org/10.32332/ijie.v8i01.13449