Clustering Analysis of Student Perceptions Toward Halal-Tourism for Targeted Promotion Strategies

Abstract

This study aims to analyze students' perceptions of halal tourism using the K- Means Clustering approach to identify segmentation patterns that can support more targeted promotional strategies. Data were obtained through a structured questionnaire covering three main dimensions: awareness of halal tourism, perceptions of promotional strategies, and needs for halal tourism services and information. Data processing was carried out using Orange Data Mining software, while the optimal number of clusters was determined using the Silhouette Coefficient method. The analysis results show that the best model consists of three clusters, which represent groups of students' perceptions with different characteristics: (1) a group with low awareness and an indifferent attitude towards halal tourism, (2) a group with moderate awareness and a need for optical information, and (3) a group with high awareness and positive perceptions. These findings indicate the diversity of students' perceptions that require different promotional approaches for each segment. Practically, the results of this study provide important input for policymakers, academics, and tourism industry players in designing more effective data-based promotional strategies for the development of halal tourism in Indonesia