Halal Tourism in Rural Tourism Context: Field Study in Madura-Indonesia

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine  halal tourism in managing village tourism in the Madura region, Indonesia.   Theoretical framework:  Rural tourism mostly is domestic phenomenon, a different nature from industry and the various ways in which it is felt across continents. Rural tourism seen synonymous with sustainable development tourism   with all that is implied for nature, scale, character and possession tourism development (Sharpley & Roberts, 2004). Based on The National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Religious Leader in Fatwa number 08/DSN-MUI/X/2016 concerning Guidelines for implementing Tourism Based on Sharia Principles, there are 12 relevant elements to the rural tourism level.   Design/methodology/approach: The study used a comparative descriptive qualitative approach in three locations. Data is collected through unstructured interviews with village tourism managers, village heads, and visitors. The comparative descriptive data analysis technique is based on the Fatwa of the National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Religious Leader No. 108/DSN-MUI/X/2016 concerning Guidelines for the Implementation of Sharia Tourism which was modified at the village level.   Findings:  The results of data analysis show that village tourism managers have not fully implemented halal tourism indicators such as worship facilities and infrastructure, potential social and immoral problems, security and tranquility, and guarantee of halal products. This finding contributes to policymakers' improving regulations to implement halal indicators in village tourism.   Research, Practical & Social implications:  This research is still limited to tourist destinations and has not observed the nature of the village as a tourism potential nor the potential for culture and customs to become a tourist attraction. Future research can examine community-based village tourism models in Madura, not mass tourism. The potential of the Taneyan Lanjhang traditional house as a village tourism homestay using the rural participative action research method is exciting research in the future.   Originality/value: The study uses the halal tourism concept, based on the Fatwa of the National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Religious Leader, which is modified with the level of rural tourism.