Isra Festival presents 109 booths covering an area of 3,000 m2, covering Hajj and Umrah travel companies, halal hotels or accommodations, Muslim tourism, and many more.
Heaptalk, Jakarta — The Indonesia Halal Travel and Destinations (Isra) Festival is officially held by the Association of Umrah and Hajj Organizers (Himpuh) and the Traya Eksibisi Internasional on December 23-25, 2022 in Hall A of the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), Jakarta (12/23).
Claimed to be the largest halal and religious tourism exhibition at the end of 2022, the festival aims to facilitate prospective consumers regarding the latest regulations and conditions of Umrah and Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
“There have been many changes in regulations and situations for Umrah and Hajj in the future. At this moment, we want to provide education to the public regarding the conditions for Umrah and Hajj from December to the next Hajj month. Many rules, both internal from Indonesia and external from Saudi Arabia, have changed and must be informed to the whole community,” said the chairman of Himpuh Budi Darmawan at the opening ceremony of the Isra Festival (12/23).
Therefore, Isra Festival is the proper time for visitors to find the best bidding information, survey prices directly, and have a dialogue with the management. At this festival, the association also introduces a digital platform that contains numerous packages from Hajj and Umrah travel for all Himpuh members.
Isra Festival presents 109 booths covering an area of 3,000 m2, covering Hajj and Umrah travel companies, halal hotels or accommodations, Muslim tourism, transportation, halal food, travel accessories, halal travel applications, and sharia financial products.
Supporting industries spanning FMCG, culinary, herbal/medicine, cosmetics, and fashion also complement the visitors’ needs. Representatives from the community, regional or city governments, and embassies of countries around Muslim countries’ destinations enliven the first edition of Isra Festival.
During the three-day event, visitors are pampered with a one-stop service related to Umrah and Hajj trips as well as other halal tours. The director of the Traya Eksibisi Internasional Bambang Setiawan is optimistic that Isra Festival will draw as many as 30,000 visitors.
Many promotions and discounts are offered by travel agents, including Samsata Umrah and Hajj, Wafdullah Travel, Jannah Firdaus Travel, Namira Travel, and many more. The festival also presents several companies that provide Umrah and Hajj financing, spanning Bank Syariah Indonesia and Zurich Syariah. In addition, visitors who are looking for children’s toys for traveling can visit Toys City, which offers big discounts of up to 90%.
Indonesian Umrah pilgrims are the second highest after Pakistan
The Indonesian halal and religious travel industry is expected to answer market needs which lead to a business-to-customer scheme following the implementation of the Saudi Arabian government’s policy towards the Saudi Vision 2030.
Currently, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of Saudi Arabia has opened the widest possible quota for Umrah pilgrims in 1444 H, specifically from Indonesia. The market is becoming increasingly fluid. Therefore, creative efforts and breakthroughs are needed from the Umrah Worship Organizers (PPIU) and Special Hajj Organizers (PIHK) who are given full authority by Law No. 8 of 2019 to serve increasingly personalized and customized market needs.
Isra Festival is expected to revive the post-pandemic halal travel and religious tourism business and strengthen ecosystems in the industry. According to the records of the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH), the number of Umrah pilgrims in 1440 H or 2018-2019 reached 946,962 per year, ranking number two as the highest in the world, below Pakistan which reached 1.5 million.
“The size of Indonesia’s umrah market deserves weighty attention, not only thinking about how to seize the market opportunity but also how the related industry manages it professionally. Consumers who are guests of God have to be served commendably. Isra Festival presents to help consumers choose reliable and professional travel,” said Budi.
In his closing statement, Budi emphasized that visitors no longer need to worry about the quality of the halal and religious travel agencies presented at the Isra Festival. All participants are guaranteed legality and proven professionals in serving Umrah and Hajj pilgrims.
