Three provinces are set to be promoted in Xinjiang, China, as recommended "halal destinations" in Indonesia.

As reported by kompas.com, the three provinces are Lombok, West Sumatra and Aceh. During the 2016 World Halal Tourism Awards, West Sumatra won the titles of World's Best Halal Destination and Best Halal Culinary Destination, while Aceh was recognized as Best Halal Cultural Destination. 

The chairman of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (Asita), Asnawi Bahar, said that Asita would invite travel agencies from Xinjiang on a familiarization trip to the three provinces.

(Read also: More awareness needed to promote halal destinations)

West Sumatra will be the familiarization trip’s first stop this coming February. “We will make this first phase of bringing in agencies to inspect [the area] in order [for them] to understand the product first," he said.

The head of West Sumatra’s Tourism and Creative Agency, Oni Yulfani, mentioned that aside from Padang, Bukittinggi, Padang Panjang and Payakumbuh, there were new destinations that potential tourists should look into. “On the southern coast, there is Mandeh; we also have the Mentawai Islands regency where people can surf,” Oni said. 

Xinjiang is home to 19 million people, of which 8 million belong to the Turkic-speaking Muslim Uighur minority. The province is bordered by eight countries, including former Soviet Central Asian republics, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. (mra/kes)