The Value of Local Spirituality in Indonesian Society as the Basis for Managing Religious Ecotourism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65586/jli.v1i2.24Keywords:
Ecological awareness, Ecological crisis, Local spirituality, Religious ecotourism, Spiritual valuesAbstract
Amidst the global ecological crisis, the strengthening of identity politics, and the increasing commodification of religion, local spirituality values form the basis for the management of religious ecotourism. The aim is to develop a conceptual framework that centres local spirituality in religious ecotourism management. This study is positioned as a conceptual study, employing an integrative literature review to compile and critique previous theories and findings systematically. The results conclude that truly sustainable religious ecotourism requires a radical shift from tourism that merely uses local spirituality to governance led by local spirituality as a source of values, direction, and ethical boundaries. The conflict between the sacredness of space and commercialisation can only be resolved if concepts such as Tri Hita Karana, Siri'na Pacce, Sedulur Papat Lima Pancer, and Huma Betang are operated as a framework for decision-making, and if religious rituals are transformed from routine ceremonies into vehicles for education and mobilisation of collective ecological awareness. Thus, religious ecotourism is no longer another face of a sanctified extractive industry, but a concrete path towards Indonesian eco-theology, a practice of faith that binds communities to protect the earth, honour their ancestors, and redefine the meaning of progress in the midst of an ecological crisis.
References
Abdou, A. H., Hassan, T. H., Salem, A. E., Albakhit, A. I., Almakhayitah, M. Y., & Salama, W. (2022). The nexus between environmentally sustainable practices, green satisfaction, and customer citizenship behavior in eco-friendly hotels: social exchange theory perspective. Sustainability, 14(19), 12791. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912791
Agung, D. A. G., Nasih, A. M., & Kurniawan, B. (2024). Local wisdom as a model of interfaith communication in creating religious harmony in Indonesia. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 9, 100827. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.100827
Amiruddin, M. M., Haris, A., Pikahulan, R. M., Haq, I., Suleman, B., Yusuf, A., & Nusair, A. (2025). Empowering Indigenous Coastal Conservation: Eco-Muamalat as a Model for Sustainable Marine Practices. Cosmopolitan Civil Societies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 17(3), 72–93. https://doi.org/10.5130/ccs.v17.i3.9380
Arifin, Z., Muhammad, A. A., Gunawan, M. H., & Safitri, A. (2025). Transformation of Productive Zakat for the Empowerment of Urban Poor Families. Jurnal Pelita Raya, 1(2), 137–151. https://doi.org/10.65586/jpr.v1i2.23
Barrett, N. F. (2023). Religious Symbolism and the Experience of Life as Meaningful: Addition, Enhancement, or Both? Religions, 14(1), 88. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14010088
Chen, H., Xu, S., Law, R., & Zhang, M. (2024). Ritual in tourism: Evolution, Progress, and future prospects. Tourism Management Perspectives, 52, 101258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2024.101258
Choe, J. (2025). Religious tourism. Tourism Geographies, 27(3–4), 830–839. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2024.2423168
Cholil, S., & Parker, L. (2021). Environmental education and eco-theology: insights from Franciscan schools in Indonesia. Environmental Education Research, 27(12), 1759–1782. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2021.1968349
Cugini, A. (2021). Religious tourism and sustainability: From devotion to spiritual experience. In Tourism in the Mediterranean Sea (pp. 55–73). Emerald Publishing Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80043-900-920211006
Dolezal, C., & Novelli, M. (2022). Power in community-based tourism: empowerment and partnership in Bali. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 30(10), 2352–2370. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1838527
Efendi, D., & Swarga, A. B. (2025). Green Faith in Action: Eco-Theological Insights from Muhammadiyah in Contemporary Indonesia. Available at SSRN 5186205. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5186205
Hanafi, B. P., Yuliani, T., & Deswita, D. (2023). Religious Ecotourism Potential of South Coastal Communities, West Sumatera, Indonesia. Ijtimaiyya: Jurnal Pengembangan Masyarakat Islam, 16(2), 127–144. https://doi.org/10.24042/ijpmi.v16i2.18682
Hasbiah, A. (2015). Analysis of local wisdom as environmental conservation strategy in Indonesia. Journal Sampurasun: Interdisciplinary Studies for Cultural Heritage, 1(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.23969/sampurasun.v1i1.19
Hastuti, S., St Y, S., & Rakhmawati, A. (2021). Ecological politeness on sedekah bumi ceremony in Merapi mountainside. International Conference on Language Politeness (ICLP 2020), 7–15. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210514.002
Ibrahim, R., Isa, T. M., Chintya, S., Alyssia, M., Poniman, R. R., Belinda, M. G., Valentia, S., Kamilie, I., Gunawan, V., & Octavia, S. (2025). A Glance at Indigenous Women’s Role in Preserving Local Culture through the Lens of Social Identity Approach: Insights from Sungai Utik, West Borneo. Journal of Cognition and Culture, 25(3–4), 365–379. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685373-12340215
Insani, N., & Karimullah, S. S. (2023). Justice for Nature: Integrating Environmental Concerns into Legal Systems for Adequate Environmental Protection. Jurnal Hukum Dan Peradilan, 12(1), 129–158. https://doi.org/10.25216/jhp.12.1.2023.129-158
Iwahara, H. (2025). Search for Sustainability: The Transformation of Japanese Perceptions of Bali in the Twenty-First Century. The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology, 26(4), 362–380. https://doi.org/10.1080/14442213.2025.2528642
Kailo, K. (2025). Indigenous Views on the Spiritual. In Sauna Culture, Sweat and Spirituality (pp. 81–130). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-87935-7_5
Karacaoğlu, S. (2024). The Role and Power of Tour Guides as Storytellers in Cultural Heritage Tourism. Journal of Management and Economic Studies (JOMAES), 6(2). https://doi.org/10.26677/tr1010.2024.1419
Karimullah, S. S. (2023). Reflections on Human-Nature Relations: A Critical Review in Islamic Humanities. Jurnal Adabiyah, 23(2), 189–206. https://doi.org/10.24252/jad.v23i2a5
Karimullah, S. S. (2024). Humanitarian Ecology: Balancing Human Needs and Environmental Preservation in Islamic Law. Asy-Syari’ah, 26(2), 97–116. https://doi.org/10.15575/as.v26i2.38177
Liutikas, D. (2025). Introduction to Sacred Landscape, Pilgrimage, and Ritual Practices. In Creating the Sacred Landscape: Pilgrimages and Ritual Practices (pp. 1–20). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-86232-8_1
Mishra, S., Mishra, J. M., Tamta, A. K., & Sahu, S. K. (2025). Smart Technology Integration in Religious Tourism Destinations: Enhancing Visitor Experiences and Destination Management. Technology and Religious Tourism: Emerging Trends, Cases and Futuristic Perspectives, 89–105. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83662-260-420251007
Moyano-Fernández, C. (2022). Building ecological solidarity: rewilding practices as an example. Philosophies, 7(4), 77. https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies7040077
Nurizka, M. S., Islami, A., Rofi’ieh, M., & Dzulfikar, M. L. (2025). Criticism of the Neoclassical Approach in Islamic Economic Policy in Indonesia. Jurnal Pelita Raya, 1(1), 17–30. https://doi.org/10.65586/jpr.v1i1.9
Nurizka, M. S., Jamil, M. S., & Sholeh, B. (2025). Analysis of the Impact of Sharia Regulations on Halal Trade in Southeast Asia. Jurnal Lentera Insani, 1(1), 32–47. https://doi.org/10.65586/jli.v1i1.16
Purnamawati, I. G. A., Jie, F., & Hatane, S. E. (2022). Cultural change shapes the sustainable development of religious ecotourism villages in Bali, Indonesia. Sustainability, 14(12), 7368. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127368
Rembulan, C., Maghfur, I. R., Siregar, M. A. H., Jakfar, M. A., & Solehah, S. (2025). The Impact of the Digital Economy on Economic Empowerment Models for Muslim Youth in Indonesia. Jurnal Lentera Insani, 1(1), 48–63. https://doi.org/10.65586/jli.v1i1.17
Reski, P., Nur, R., & Widayati, C. (2021). Local wisdom of Bugis Makassar Siri ‘na Pacce from millennials glasses. 2nd International Conference on Social Sciences Education (ICSSE 2020), 323–328. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210222.053
Riandi, M. R., Safitri, A., & Munawaroh, K. (2025). Indonesian Diaspora Halal Cuisine as Cultural Diplomacy. Jurnal Lentera Insani, 1(1), 64–79. https://doi.org/10.65586/jli.v1i1.18
Samsul Hady, M., Roibin, Teguh Prastyo, A., Bakar, A., Faslah, R., Malik Fajar Alam, A., Barkah, Q., Himmatin, U., Nuyulis Naeni Puspitasari, I., & Abdul Ghani, M. Z. (2025). Cultural transformation: religious moderation from manuscripts heritage to living tradition in Indonesia and Malaysia. Cogent Education, 12(1), 2556891. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2556891
Shinde, K. A., & Olsen, D. H. (2022). Reframing the intersections of pilgrimage, religious tourism, and sustainability. Sustainability, 15(1), 461. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010461
Soi, A. B., Putra, A. P., Zubair, M. K., Yusup, A. M., & Megandani, A. (2023). Promoting Religious-Friendly Tourism for Developing Religious Harmony: A Study of Tourist Gaze. Heritage of Nusantara: International Journal of Religious Literature and Heritage, 12(1), 91–117. https://doi.org/10.31291/hn.v12i1.701
Sudiarta, I. N., Cahyanto, I., Indrawati, Y., Negara, K., & Putra, A. M. (2025). Regenerative rural tourism: uncovering community capitals and vulnerabilities through photovoice in Bali, Indonesia. Tourism Review. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-01-2025-0026
Sugiartha, I. N. G., Dewi, A. A. S. L., & Widyantara, I. M. M. (2023). Integrating Local Wisdom Values in Tourism Development at the West Bali National Park. International Conference on “Changing of Law: Business Law, Local Wisdom and Tourism Industry”(ICCLB 2023), 726–737. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-180-7_78
Suhartanto, D., Dean, D., Amin, H., & Seperi, Y. (2025). Faith, ecology and leisure: understanding young Muslim tourists’ attitudes towards mangrove ecotourism. Journal of Islamic Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIMA-01-2025-0026
Sumi, A. A., Awang, J. Bin, Haque, R., Qazi, S., Rahman, N. F. A., & Senathirajah, A. R. B. S. (2025). Investigating the function of religion and social capital in shaping sustainable social development. Discover Sustainability, 6(1), 748. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-01622-x
Timothy, D. J., & Olsen, D. H. (2021). Religion, spirituality, and tourism: Emerging and future directions. In The Routledge handbook of religious and spiritual tourism (pp. 461–475). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429201011-38
Warren, V. L. (2022). To the Promised Land: Ethics, Religion and the Power of Storytelling. In Reshaping Philosophy: Michael Boylan’s Narrative Fiction (pp. 125–139). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99265-1_9
Watanabe, N. A. (2023). After Homer: Monarchal Peacemaking and Eco-Survival in Anna Lee Waldo’s Epic Sacajawea. In The Monarch and the (Non)-Human in Literature and Cinema (pp. 115–137). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003362548-11
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Achmad Fathor Rosyid, Ahidul Asror, Zaki Al-Mubarok, Harapandi Dahri

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.







