Cross-Cultural Communication in Indonesia’s Hajj Services: Interactions Between Staff and Multicultural Pilgrims

Abstract

The cultural diversity of Indonesian Hajj pilgrims presents complex communication challenges in service delivery, particularly when differences in language, customs, and the interpretation of instructions potentially trigger miscommunication. However, empirical studies specifically measuring the effectiveness of cross-cultural communication in the context of officer-pilgrim interaction remain limited, resulting in a gap between field practices and the development of culture-based communication models. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of cross-cultural communication in enhancing the quality of Hajj services through interactions between officers and multicultural pilgrims. This research employs a quantitative design with a survey approach involving a simulation of 210 Indonesian Hajj pilgrims from various regions. The instrument used is a Likert-scale questionnaire measuring cross-cultural communication competence, message clarity, and service satisfaction, with analysis conducted using linear regression and significance testing (p-value). Validity and reliability were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Cronbach’s Alpha (>0.7). The results indicate that cross-cultural communication has a significant influence on pilgrim satisfaction (β = 0.63; p < 0.001), with empathy and language adaptation as the dominant factors. These findings underscore that strengthening cross-cultural communication competence not only enriches service communication theory but also serves as a practical foundation for Hajj officer training to ensure services are more inclusive, effective, and humanistic.