Jakarta, NU Online
Director of Institute for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics of the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI), Lukmanul Hakim said Indonesia's tourism didn't have sharia compliant spas and hotels and massage parlors.<>

He made the statement on the sidelines of an annual program of Indonesia International Halal Expo (INDHEX) 2013 in Jakarta recently.

Sharia compliant spas and hotels and massage parlors are part of Islamic concept of sharia tourism which will be launched on October 30, 2013 at the INDHEX forum. MUI encourages employers of these services to have halal certification. Later, at each spa, hotel and massage parlor will be certified with halal, so that consumers will use it without worry.

In massage parlor sharia and spa, male visitors will be served by male therapists and of course female visitors will also be served by female ones.

"Giving logo of halal allows visitors to identify places which have been certified halal. For now, we give priority to restaurant, hotel, spa and massage parlors," Hakim said.

Waiters in tourism attractions are also required to inform Muslim consumers if there is food containing elements of unlawful menus. Hakim said Jakarta was declared ready as a model of Islamic tourism.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq