March-April. 2025

08 Travel Agency

A strategic collaboration between BUMITRA Malaysia and ITC aims to empower operators and attract 20,000 Muslim tourists to Malaysia

As countries worldwide compete to attract this growing segment, Malaysia continues to strengthen its position as a top Muslim-friendly destination through strategic partnerships and industry-driven initiatives.

In a significant step towards this goal, BUMITRA Malaysia has joined forces with the Islamic Tourism Centre( ITC) to enhance Malaysia’ s appeal to Muslim travellers, particularly from China.

This collaboration formalised through a Memorandum of Agreement( MOA) on 9 January 2025, aims to bring in high-profile influencers and community leaders to promote Malaysia as a preferred destination for Muslim tourists.

The concept was initially pioneered by ITC with the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association( MICA) in 2024 and achieved impressive key performance indicators( KPIs).

“ Under this agreement, ITC has allocated a substantial grant to support the initiative. The programme aims to bring in 80 China Muslim representatives or key influencers from China to Malaysia,” said BUMITRA Malaysia President Dr Wan Muhamad Adam.

“ As part of the agreement, each representative is required to bring at least 250 Muslim tourists to Malaysia. In total, BUMITRA Malaysia is expected to facilitate the arrival of 20,000 Muslim tourists over the three-year period. This initiative presents a significant opportunity for BUMITRA, made possible through ITC’ s support.”

STRENGTHENING THE ECOSYSTEM

Wan said that beyond the set KPI, the focus of the collaboration was also on educating BUMITRA members to develop tourism packages that cater specifically to Muslim travellers.

He highlighted that it was essential to work with hotels that hold the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition( MFAR) certification issued by ITC. Indirectly, this initiative encourages more hotels

MOA signing between BUMITRA Malaysia and ITC.

Scan Me

Dr Wan Muhamad Adam.

THE COLLABORATION between BUMITRA Malaysia and the Islamic Tourism Centre( ITC) highlights key opportunities for tourism operators in Malaysia:

• Empowering Tourism Operators – The initiative ensures that BUMITRA members are actively involved in the development and delivery of Muslimfriendly inbound tourism services. By providing direct engagement opportunities, the programme aims to

to obtain MFAR certification, leading to continuous improvements in the sector.

“ There is an effort to encourage tourists to dine at restaurants with halal certification. While many eateries are already halal, not all have obtained official certification.

“ The aim is not to impose requirements but to create awareness that this will lead to increased innovation, proactivity, and improved product offerings.”

He shared that BUMITRA members are categorised into four segments: inbound, outbound, ticketing, and Umrah & Hajj. The plan is to involve all segments with inbound services, such as providing bus transportation.

“ We are creating opportunities for our members across various sectors. For example, those in transportation, such as bus and van operators, are encouraged to collaborate with travel agencies appointed as panel partners, ensuring that the ecosystem remains within our network.

“ We engage ticketing providers to

strengthen the role of Bumiputera travel agencies in this growing market.

• Enhancing Product Development – A key focus of the collaboration is fostering innovation in tourism offerings. BUMITRA members are encouraged to create unique and appealing products that cater specifically to modern Muslim travellers, ensuring a high-quality and memorable travel experience. offer more affordable ticket options within our network. We also encourage participation from those offering tourism-related products, including food, homestays, and cultural experiences.

“ That is why, under this project, we take a holistic approach that encompasses both urban and rural tourism. This includes visits to Melaka’ s historical sites, Cameron Highlands, and even Perlis. Ultimately, our goal is to strengthen the entire tourism ecosystem and drive sustainable economic growth.”

A SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

Wan highlighted Malaysia’ s key strengths in Muslim-friendly tourism, including its well-established infrastructure, such as designated prayer spaces, the abundance of halal food, and JAKIM’ s globally recognised halal certification.

However, he also pointed out areas that require further improvement, particularly in expanding the scope of Muslim-friendly recognition beyond food to include other establishments, such as spas, similar to what ITC has done with MFAR.

Additionally, he emphasised the need to enhance industry training. While ITC has made significant efforts to provide training related to halal and Muslim-friendly tourism, further expansion is necessary to raise awareness and improve service quality across the sector.

“ Another key area for improvement is digital promotion. Malaysia lags behind some countries in leveraging digital marketing for Muslim-friendly tourism.

“ Therefore, greater efforts must be made to strengthen digital promotion strategies, ensuring wider visibility of Malaysia’ s halal ecosystem and its position as a leading destination for Muslim-friendly travel.”

Wan highlighted that tourism has evolved significantly; for example, in Umrah and Hajj, many travellers now opt for a DIY approach. Therefore, participation in Muslim-friendly tourism will encourage travel agencies, particularly BUMITRA members, to diversify their offerings, creating opportunities for more sustainable growth. – RnR

• Strengthening Competitiveness – By equipping BUMITRA members with the necessary resources and opportunities, the initiative aims to increase their ability to attract international Muslim tourists. While the programme initially targets the Chinese Muslim market, it also serves as a foundation for broader engagement in global Muslim-friendly tourism.