{
  "id": 4853927,
  "title": "Moscow Targets Indonesian Tourists With Push for Halal Tourism",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/moscow-targets-indonesian-tourists-with-push-for-halal-tourism",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T11:52:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Tempo.co English",
    "slug": "tempo-co-english",
    "url": "https://en.tempo.co/read/2118730/moscow-targets-indonesian-tourists-with-push-for-halal-tourism"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Moscow is actively promoting itself as a Muslim-friendly destination for Indonesian tourists, with the aim of boosting visitor numbers as they continue to climb but still lag behind pre-pandemic levels. Maria Pasuginova, leader of the Moscow City Tourism Committee's Asia, Commonwealth of Independent States, and Latin America Department, revealed that 3,600 Indonesian tourists arrived in Moscow during the first half of 2026, a 12% increase from the same period in 2025. This number accounts for nearly half of the 7,500 Indonesian visitors recorded in Moscow last year, but remains significantly lower than the 16,000 visitors in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nPasuginova highlighted the city's efforts to enhance its facilities catering to Muslim tourists, stating that Moscow is developing a Muslim-friendly environment, especially for Indonesian travelers. To this end, the city has compiled information on hundreds of Muslim-friendly tourist sites, hotels, and halal restaurants, which are all listed on the \"Discover Moscow\" platform. This platform also provides details on mosques and places where Muslim visitors can perform prayer.\n\nIn addition to the online resources, Moscow has also enlisted specialized tour guides to assist Muslim tourists in identifying suitable attractions and halal dining options. The city is further expanding its offerings by designing tailored tourism packages for Muslim travelers, as international tourism to Moscow recovers from the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nPasuginova emphasized the city's willingness to learn about the cultures and habits of foreign tourists, with the goal of creating an even more Muslim-friendly environment in Moscow. She acknowledged the importance of catering to the needs of Muslim tourists from Indonesia, many of whom plan to visit the Russian capital in the near future.",
  "summary": "Moscow is expanding Muslim-friendly tourism facilities as Indonesian visitors rise, but remain below pre-pandemic levels.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}