Chinatown Bandung Culinary Attractions for Muslim Tourists: The

Perspective of Halal Tourism

Adrian Agoes

, Bambang Hermanto

and Regina Maureen

STIEPAR Yapari-Aktripa, Bandung, Indonesia

Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia

Alumni STIEPAR Yapari-Aktripa, Bandung, Indonesia

Keywords: Chinatown, Culinary Attractions, Muslim Tourists, Halal Tourism

Abstract: Chinatown Bandung is one of the tourist attraction initiated by the government of Bandung City. It displays

the atmosphere of the old Chinese village combining two distinctive cultural elements of China and

Sundanese. The market segment of this attraction is mostly from muslim domestic tourists who is interested

to taste the culinary attraction. While traditionally Chinese food is considered non-halal by the muslims, but

it is becoming one of the attraction of this place. This study was conducted to review whether the culinary

attraction is truly muslim friendly or halal compliant. The research method is using qualitative approach. Data

collection is done by field observation and interview with the manager, food tenants, and visitors. The result

showed that Chinatown culinary attraction potentially become halal tourism in Bandung. There are 7 of 31

food sellers have obtained official halal certificate. Thus, Chinatown Bandung can be a potential culinary

attraction for muslim tourists.

1 INTRODUCTION

Cultural richness in Indonesia is often associated

with existing ethnic groups. However, it is also

important to realize that the diversity of cultures is

heavily influenced by outside cultures such as those

from Arabic, Indian, and also Chinese. Especially for

Chinese culture, its influence on Indonesia's cultural

richness is considered to be very large and strong.

Even history records that the Chinese nation is the

ancestor of the ethnic groups in Indonesia. Based on

the source of the Ohio University Library in 2000, the

number of Chinese in Indonesia reached 7,310,000

inhabitants, ranking third after Javanese and

Sundanese. This number represents the largest ethnic

Chinese community outside China.

Chinese people first came to Indonesia through

the Admiral Haji Muhammad Cheng Hoo's

expedition (1405 - 1433). At that time, Cheng Hoo

traveled around the world to open silk road and

ceramics pathways, as well as to spread Islamic

teachings in Indonesia. Cheng Hoo then set foot on

the island of Java and left a temple that had a Muslim

nuances in Semarang, that is the Sam Poo Kong

Temple. Since the expedition, gradually the Chinese

have arrived and built Chinatowns in several areas on

the island of Java (Perkasa, 2012). Some Chinese

people in Java moved to Bandung when Diponegoro

war took place in 1825. In the city of Bandung, most

of them live in Suniaraja village and surrounding

areas of Old Chinatown Road. They settled and made

a living there and on 1885 they began to spread to

Jalan Kelenteng which was marked by the

construction of the Satya Budhi Temple (Kunto,

1984). Chinese people then began to give influence to

the cultural development of Indonesia. One of the

great influences contributed to the cultural richness in

Indonesia by the Chinese people is the diversity of

typical Chinese foods.

The government of Bandung City sees the

opportunity to develop a tourism area based on

Chinese culture. Therefore, a new tourist attraction

are built on a former Permaba Building. This building

were located on Bandung’s Chinatown area, in a

Vihara Satya Budhi complex (also known as

Klenteng Xie Tian Gong). A complex of Chinese

Temple in Bandung’s old Chinatown area. This new

tourist attraction then named as ‘Chinatown

Bandung’. It was inaugurated by the Major of

Bandung City on August 20th, 2017.

Inside the building there are various kinds of

ancient furniture related to Chinese culture in

Agoes, A., Hermanto, B. and Maureen, R.

Chinatown Bandung Culinary Attractions for Muslim Tourists: The Perspective of Halal Tourism.

DOI: 10.5220/0009193500050009

In Proceedings of the 1st NHI Tourism Forum (NTF 2019) - Enhancing Innovation in Gastronomic for Millennials, pages 5-9

ISBN: 978-989-758-495-4

Indonesia. Starting from plates with dragon paintings,

to silat-themed comics. Meanwhile on the other side

of the room there is an infographic that tells the

history of the Chinese people in Bandung. Chinatown

Bandung applies the semi-outdoor concept to the

building. The middle area is made open, but

surrounding the building, there are also some rooms

that are assigned as souvenir and culinary shops on

the side part. The Chinatown Bandung area is

designed replicating Kampung China (Chinese

village). There present 77 stands or tenants which is

Small and Medium Enterprises (UKM) of Bandung

City. Thirty-one of those tenants are mostly offering

culinary attractions and some of which are offering

Chinese Food (seven tenants).

Table 1: List of Chinese Food Tenants in Chinatown

Bandung

No. Name of tenant Type of food

1. Toko Yunsen

(Tahu)

Chinese Food

asi Hainan Chinese Foo

3. Shaokao Chinese

BBQ

Chinese Food

4. Mangkok Ayam Chinese Food

5. Cakue Li

Chinese Foo

6. Obao Bapao &

Sioma

Chinese Food

7. Bakso Goreng

Apoh

Chinese Food

The rest of the food tenants are selling Indonesian

Food (even though some menu are inherited from

Chinese cuisine). Namely, Bubur Bandung, Bakso

Goreng Apoh, Mie Sakum, Baso Tahu Ooy, and also

Cuanki. According to the manager of Chinatown

Bandung, the domestic tourists are still in a prevailing

numbers as visitors to this area. Interestingly, Muslim

tourists are fascinated of Chinese cultural attractions,

including the culinary attractions. In regards to

Muslim tourists need, mostly they want to have a

Qibla directions, availability of halal food or halal

restaurant, praying facilities, and also conservative

staff dress (Sriprasert, 2014).

On the contrary, Muslim tourists are increasing in

number as well as in demand of quality --- espescially

in strong demand of halal tourism --- as reported by

CrescentRating (“GMTI Report Global Muslim

Travel Index (GMTI) 2015 Results,” 2015). Global

Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) stated that in the year

of 2014 there are 108 million Muslim tourists that

represents 10 percent of the total tourism industry.

This segment is believed to have spent as much as

US$ 145 billion. It is projected that in the year 2020,

the number of Muslim tourists will increase to 150

million tourists, representing 11 percent of the

industry segment. It is predicted that this segment will

spend as much as US$ 200 billion. As also developed

in non-muslim country, to gain from Muslim tourists

market, the government will target this niche as future

priorities (Hazbun, 2013). The initial idea was

developed because it considers that Chinese food is

one of the foods favored by the people of Indonesia.

It was thought to create an area that carries the theme

of Chinese culture with the concept of Muslim

Friendly.

Traditionally, Chinese Culinary are considered

non-halal for Muslim. However, in Chinatown

Bandung, Muslim tourists is apparently being the

target visitors to this area. Thus, the research question

is how Chinatown Bandung Culinary Attraction is

seen from the perspective of Halal Tourism? This

research were to find out the culinary attraction in

Chinatown Bandung for Muslim tourists and to see

how is the fulfillment of Muslim tourists necessity in

Chinatown Bandung..

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

In the developed model of tourist attraction

related to food, there are levels between food as

primary attraction, secondary attraction or as

substitute attraction (subsidiary). This concept

suggests that if there are tourists who are interested in

tasting foods that look new in a market, if tourists just

visit the local market and want to taste something

different, then that is classified as low interest in food

as the main attraction. This type of tourist is more

classified as Culinary Tourism. Meanwhile, if you

talk about things that are of high interest, that is,

traveling only specifically to study local food, related

to the culture and specific tastes offered, then it is

classified as high interest. It is usually classified as

Gastronomic Tourism (Gatley, 2006; Guzel &

Apaydin, 2017; Hall, 2003). In the case of Chinatown

Bandung, it could be categorized as Culinary

Tourism, as the tourists visiting this place are only in

low interest of the food as an attraction. Chinatown

Bandung offers specific food in a market area only as

a part of the overall Chinese cultural theme. It doesn’t

provide the cuisine as an attraction to study the

cultural aspects of the food.

As the Chinatown Bandung offers Chinese food

as one of the attractions with the concept of Muslim

friendly in mind, then Halal tourism should be

brought into discussion. Nowadays, Muslim tourists

NTF 2019 - The NHI Tourism Forum

considered as an attractive niche market in tourism

industry (Tantow, 2010). One of their character is to

obey to religious rules such as in prohibited dietary.

The tourism concept developed for this niche is

known as Halal Tourism, which in Arabic means

permissible. Not only for food but also to other

products (medicine, cosmetics, banks) (Sriprasert,

2014). The Chinese cultural theme in Chinatown

Bandung is found fascinating to Muslim Tourists. It

offers not only Culinary attraction, but also from the

aspects of environment, culture, historical, as well as

shopping attraction (Caria & Nuraeni, 2019). So, the

Muslim Tourists are encouraged to enjoy not only the

food but also the other attractions (Sanad, Kassem, &

Scott, 2010).

In Chinatown Bandung, in terms of Halal tourism,

the attention mostly aimed to halal food. There are

seven tenants who offer Chinese food in this complex.

Some of the specific cuisine offered here are Hainan

Rice, Shaokao BBQ, and Obao Bapao and Siomay.

These are the cuisines that traditionally considered as

non-halal food. Hainan Rice (or originally known as

Hainan Chicken Rice), is chicken menu served with

rice cooked in chicken oil (Hazbun, 2013). While

Shaokao BBQ is a traditional Chinese barbeque with

skewer (Mulyana & Andreani, 2019). Bapao (or

Bakpao) means ‘filled bun’. It is a kind of traditional

Chinese bread with various filling. Traditionally

‘Bak’ means pork, so it’s traditionally filled with pork

meat. But in Indonesia it has more variations not only

filled with meat (certainly not pork). But also can be

filled with beans or other variant (Yuniarto, 2018).

Then Siomay, it is a traditional Chinese ‘steamed

dumpling’ with main ingredients is cassava flour

mixed with chicken, shrimp, or fish (Yuniarto, 2018).

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This research is to describe the phenomenon in

Chinatown Bandung where Chinese culinary that

traditionally is generally perceived as non-halal are

being an attraction to Muslim tourists. Observation is

made to identify the culinary attraction that offers

Chinese food, also to identify facilities that might

support the interest and needs of Muslim tourists. In

this research there are some informants to interview

that is the manager of Chinatown Bandung, some

Chinese food tenants, also some Muslim visitors of

Chinatown Bandung. Three representative of Chinese

Food tenants were interviewed, those were ‘Nasi

Hainan’, ‘Shaoao BBQ’, and ‘Obao Bapao dan

Siomay’. These tenants are considered to be the most

representing of traditionally recognized as non-halal

Chinese food. The data collected are then coded, data

reduction, validated with triangulation method, and

analyzed by the researcher to construct a meaning as

the result of the research. The results of this study are

intended to be a learning material and comparison for

the management of similar tourist attractions in other

regions. Further research can be done to compare the

management of Chinatown in neighboring country of

Indonesia such as in Singapore and Malaysia. Does

Chinatown in these countries have the same issue

with Muslim tourists or is there another issue that is

different.

4 RESEARCH RESULTS

The Chinese food seller in Chinatown Bandung

are all Chinese descendants and non Muslim. As they

are already born and raised in Bandung, they are

already familiar with some of the rules of halal food

for Muslim. According to them, they initiated to cook

the food with the way they considered halal.

Traditionally they know not to use pork and alcohol

in their cooking. They also keep their cooking

equipment to be free from contamination of those

ingredients. They even stated that all the food they

offer are halal. Starting from the ingredients to the

processing method, they claim not to have a non-halal

part. They know this because they only use

traditionally known as halal food such as chicken,

beef, vegetables, seafood, and other general spices.

All the ingredients are bought from traditional market

like Andir Market, Astana Anyar Market,

Leuwipanjang Market, and Caringin Central Market.

As from the Muslim tourists point of view in

Chinatown Bandung, mostly they know the

establishment of this attraction from social media.

According to the tourists, the location of Chinatown

Bandung is quite strategic and easy to reach.

Interestingly, Muslim tourists trust the ‘halal sign’

and ‘no pork’ sign placed on each food stall. They

further believe that all the food sold are not containing

forbidden ingredients. In fact, all the signs are placed

by the food stall owner themselves and not from local

authority. Notwithstanding, some tourists will first

question the tenants about the ingredients as well as

the halal condition of the food offered in the food

stall.

Muslim tourists were overall interested in the

Chinese style decoration of the food stall and the

Chinatown Bandung area. They also found that the

sellers are very friendly and decently dressed that

makes them feel comfortable. As for the facilities,

Muslim tourists found that there are adequate

facilities to support their needs in term of religious

belief. This place has decorous praying room

Chinatown Bandung Culinary Attractions for Muslim Tourists: The Perspective of Halal Tourism

(mushola) to support their praying needs. As

described by a woman Muslim tourist “Good mosque

facilities, there is a separate ablution place too.

Comfortable.” Even the decoration of the mosque

was found captivating. Like described by one tourist,

“The mosque facility is good, though. We prayed

there. Then after, we take photos because of the good

design. Very oriental.”

They also found that besides the interior design

that looks like in Chinese village, they were also

interested in the food that they offered. The food are

quite unique and not like the one they consume

everyday. One tourist stated that he was interested to

come to Chinatown Bandung specifically because of

the food photography exposed in the Instagram

account of Chinatown Bandung. This is what

motivates him to come and try the culinary attraction

here. Other tourist said that she was motivated to try

the new menu especially ‘Shaokao Chinese BBQ’

offered in Chinatown Bandung. According to her, the

tastes of that food was very unique and the spices

were not as usual in taste. According to another

tourist, she had asked about the ingredients and

seasonings used in the cooking, to convince her that

the product is halal. She also monitors how it is made,

that the food she ordered is really safe. According to

other Muslim tourist informants, Bandung's

Chinatown is already Muslim Friendly. He also added

that there is no doubt in the food and beverage

products sold because they are in the same standard

products as those being sold outside of Chinatown,

such as shopping centers and roadside restaurants or

street vendors.

4.1 Muslim Tourists Necessity

According to Muslim tourists necessity, there are

three phases that can be provided by tourist attraction

(or hotel) to accommodate the tourist need: 1.) Need

to Have; 2.) Good to Have; 3.) Nice to Have.

Following is the result of observation using this

category to appraise the Chinatown Bandung from the

perspective of Halal Tourism (Riyanto, 2012):

Need to Have

a. Halal Food: Some already have halal

certificates. As many as 5 tenants (from all 31

food stalls) have featured official halal logo,

those are: Yunsen's shop (Chinese Food),

Mangkok Ayam (Chinese Food), Dago Bakery,

Raos Kiosk, Ice CreamTerminale, Bolu Bakar

Tunggal, and Souvenirs like Sari Sari. Only 2

Chinese Food Tenants already apply official

Halal Certificate from local authority

(MUI/Indonesian Muslim Scholar Association).

b. Mosque / Praying Room: There is a small

mosque (mushola / praying room) in the area of

Chinatown Bandung, that is equipped with

prayer facilities and Qibla direction.

Good to Have

a. Ablution Water: There is a place of ablution

(water flow) separate for men and women in the

Chinatown Bandung.

b. Fasting Facilities: Judging from the concept

of Chinatown Bandung namely food court,

dominated by food vendors and drinks and

tourist attractions newly inaugurated after

fasting month in the past 2017, researcher have

not found the fasting facility for Muslim tourists

who came to visit.

Nice to Have

a. Attraction: Halal food and drinks are

available. Performing arts and culture as well

attractions that do not conflict with general

criteria for halal tourism. Maintain cleanliness

and sanitation environment.

b. Services: Understand and able to implement

shariah values in performing the task. Good

manners and attractive in accordance with

Islamic values and ethics.

5 RESEARCH DISCUSSION

Based on the discussion that the author described in

the previous chapter, then the author can draw the

following analysis. First of all, tourism activities in

Chinatown Bandung are very universal and

acceptable by all groups and certainly can also be

accepted by Muslim tourists and also in accordance

with the norms of the Indonesian people. Then, food

and beverage in Chinatown Bandung is generally

perceived as halal starting from the ingredients to the

processing. Also they do not contain any type of food

that is forbidden (non-halal). In addition, worship

facilities for Muslim tourists such as prayer rooms,

water for ablution, has been provided in the

Chinatown Bandung area so that it can easily be used.

Waitress and stand sellers dress modestly and neatly

and appreciate the cultural values of Indonesia. In

terms of the necessity for Muslim tourists there are

aspects that are still not fulfilled. Namely, there is no

NTF 2019 - The NHI Tourism Forum

official halal certificate from MUI (Indonesian

Muslim Scholars Organisation) for some of the food

tenants, especially Chinese food. Thus, some Muslim

tourists refuse to taste various food products in

Chinatown Bandung because there are still doubts in

their mind, worrying that Chinese food are

traditionally known as non-halal. The impact,

Chinese food tenants lost some buyers because they

were doubtful about the products. However, the

tenants revealed that having a halal certificate is not

cheap. It can reach up to 100 million rupiah for SMEs

(Small and Medium Enterprises) to obtain halal

certification from the beginning until the issuance of

halal certificates. Because each product costs around

5 million rupiah, while the products they sell there are

around 20 to 25 kinds of products for each tenant.

6 CONCLUSIONS

There are several conclusions from this research

related to the matters discussed above. In the matter

of tourist attraction it's good to consider one event or

special programs for Muslim tourists, for example on

the month of Ramadhan they can hold open-fasting

event with the concept of Chinese cultural dinner.

Also they can be holding a lecture presenting Muslim

religious leaders of Chinese descent, cooperating with

the Chinese Muslim Association in Bandung. In order

to get a deep impression and to win visits from

Muslim tourists as many as possible, the tenants need

to obtain a halal certificate official institutions. Thus,

all Muslim tourists need not hesitate and worry about

the halal conditions of the products. Of course, the

government also can take part in this development by

giving easy access or even subsidiary for the tenants

to get official halal certificate more easier. After

having a halal certificate, it is recommended to hold a

Halal Tourism campaign in Chinatown Bandung as a

form of familiarizing to all Muslim tourists in

Bandung and even outside Bandung city. It would

further encourage them to travel and shop in

Chinatown Bandung.

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Chinatown Bandung Culinary Attractions for Muslim Tourists: The Perspective of Halal Tourism