Where Tourism Meets Values

The HaSIM Forum returns with the latest edition of its bi-monthly dialogue series on Halal, Sustainability, and Inclusive Tourism (HaSIM), this time moving the conversation from concept to practice. The session brings together industry leaders and practitioners to examine how the principles of halal-friendly, sustainable, and inclusive tourism are being applied on the ground—across destinations, hotels, and travel businesses operating in diverse global markets.

The panel features Muhammad Rahmad, Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Indonesian Economic and Tourism Studies; Hafsa Gaher, Founder and CEO of Halal Travel Network in the United Kingdom; and Sunardi Song, General Manager of Pullman Hotel Kuching, Malaysia—offering complementary perspectives from research, the global halal travel trade, and frontline hospitality operations. The dialogue is co-hosted and moderated by Assoc. Prof. Hera Oktadiana, Ph.D., CHE (Co-Founder of HaSIM Forum and Founder of Muslim Women in Tourism & Hospitality) and Elyn Hastriana, BBA, M.Par (Co-Founder of HaSIM Forum and Founder of the Center for Indonesian Tourism Studies).

Panelists:

Hafsa Gaher, Founder and CEO, Halal Travel Network, UK

Hafsa Gaher is the Founder and CEO of the Halal Travel Network (HTN) , a global B2B network shaping how tourism businesses, destinations and travel partners engage with the halal-conscious travel market. Her work spans education, market development, trade engagement and inclusive travel, with a focus on practical, commercially grounded progress across the industry.

Muhammad Rahmad is the Founder and CEO Rama Group (Halal Travel and Hospitality), and an Executive Director of the Center for Indonesian Economic and Tourism Studies, a policy research institution dedicated to strengthening Indonesia's tourism competitiveness through evidence-based analysis. He brings extensive cross-sector experience, including 14 years as a chief executive in tourism corporations and more than a decade leading national and international tourism associations affiliated with UNWTO, IATA, and ASITA.

In the halal and pilgrimage travel sector, he serves as CEO of PT Digital Nusantara Travelindo (UmrohAja / ICMI Travel Group), where he drives digital transformation across the umrah and Muslim-friendly travel value chain. He is also a co-founder of the HaSIM Forum, as well as a lecturer and doctoral candidate at Institut Pariwisata Trisakti, Jakarta, where his research produced the ITACOM (Integrated AR/VR Technology Adoption for Competitiveness Model) framework. A prolific writer, he has authored numerous international journal articles and books on halal, sustainable, and digital tourism.

Sunardi Song is the General Manager of Pullman Kuching and a Master of Tourism candidate at Trisakti University. With over 20 years of hospitality experience in Indonesia and Malaysia, he brings a practical hotelier’s perspective on sustainable operations, responsible tourism, and creating guest experiences that are inclusive, meaningful, and relevant to today’s travellers.

Associate Professor Hera Oktadiana, Ph.D, CHE is an internationally recognized tourism scholar and researcher who brings extensive academic expertise to her role as co-founder of the HaSIM Forum. Hera is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Griffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith University, and at James Cook University, Australia. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Brawijaya, Indonesia, and as an Associate Professor in the postgraduate and doctoral programs at the Trisakti Institute of Tourism, Indonesia. Hera holds a Ph.D. from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and is a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE), accredited by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, USA.

Hera has served as the Head of the Hotel Management and Hospitality and Tourism departments at BINUS University, BINUS International, and Bunda Mulia University. Additionally, she has held the position of Deputy Manager for International Hotel and Tourism at Trisakti School of Tourism.

Her research areas include tourist behaviour, Muslim/Halal tourism, tourism sustainability, and tourism education. She has published her scholarly works in various reputable international tourism journals indexed by SCOPUS, as well as in book chapters and an edited book titled “Delivering Tourism Intelligence: From Analysis to Action.” Several of her academic works and publications have received awards, including from the Ministry of Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, the Council for Australasian Tourism and Hospitality Education (CAUTHE), and Wiley Publication.

Hera is also a frequent speaker at numerous international conferences and events. She is actively involved as a member of the Editorial Board in renowned international tourism journals, serving as a guest editor, review editor, editorial advisory board member, regional editor, and associate editor. She is also the founder of Muslim Women in Tourism & Hospitality (M.WiTH).

Elyn Hastriana, BBA, M. Par  is a distinguished tourism professional with over three decades of multifaceted experience spanning academia, corporate leadership, diplomatic service, and scholar from Trisakti Tourism Institute, Jakarta. Currently serving as Director of RAMA Group, co-founder of the HaSIM Forum, and founder of the Center for Indonesian Tourism Studies. She brings a unique combination of 19 years as Director in tourism corporations.

Together, let's create tourism that respects faith, protects the planet, and includes everyone.