Tourist activities to engage in during the yearly pilgrimage:
Road Trip
Tourist destinations during the “Mudik” moment include mountains, waterfalls, forests, beaches, and culinary delights. South Java (The South Line) region is one of the favorite routes for annual pilgrims, with a 1,546.78 km long road passing through 23 districts. The South Line stretches from Serang Regency and ends at Banyuwangi Regency. The second favorite route would be the North Line, with a 1,300 km long road and the busiest route during the Eid pilgrimage. This line passes through 5 provinces: Banten, DKI Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, and East Java. The third route is the Java-Sumatra line, completed with ferries to sail across the Sunda Strait. This Java-Sumatra line stretches from Lampung to Aceh. The next line is the Java-Bali-Nusa Tenggara Route, which relies on ferries from Ketapang, Banyuwangi, to Bali’s Padang Bai port to sail across to Lombok.
Religious Tourism
Religious sites or objects are often the pilgrims’ favorite to visit during the Eid pilgrimage. The tombs of Walisongo and other Islamic saints and heroes and the historical mosques with Islamic civilization stories to tell are mostly visited during the “Mudik” season. The Islamic religious sites and other religious’ spots offer interesting sights and experiences as religious tourist destinations. Religious tourism is also closely related to the two oldest religions in Indonesia, the Hindu and Buddhist religious sites. The Hindu and Buddhist sacred sites encompass kingdoms’ remains and temples, such as Borobudur, Mendut and other temples.
Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno stated that 40-60 percent of the total 80 million home travelers would be interested in traveling to tourist destinations and engaging in various related tourism activities. Money will roughly be circulated to travel needs such as accommodation, transport, culinary, souvenirs and local attractions, eventually growing the regional economy. If at least a family spends IDR 1.5 million, then this year’s tourism sector’s revenue potential is predicted to reach IDR 72 trillion.
The Government’s decision to allow the 2022 annual Eid pilgrimage was indeed a correct and appropriate decision that will positively revive the tourism sector. As is known, the Government had restricted people from returning to their hometowns during the 2022 and 2021 Eid to suppress COVID-19 transmission.
Allowing the 2022 Eid pilgrimage is relevant to the global tourism revival trend that enables tourists to travel under pandemic conditions. The trend will boost optimism in rising the tourism sector.