Cover Story
@ Halal | May-June . 2022
Mardhiyyah Hotel & Suites is the winner of the Muslim-friendly Hotel of The Year in the Muslim-friendly Service Provider Awards Category at the inaugural Halal in Travel Awards 2022 . Chinese Muslim Mosque , Ipoh .
Muslim travellers choose Malaysia Malaysia remains top destination for Muslim travellers in GMTI 2022 Report
BY FATIHAH MANAF
BEING A Muslim majority country may help a destination to attract Muslim tourists . However , what helps in captivating this segment of Muslim travellers is the overall seamless Muslim-friendly experience that the destination offers .
Committed to providing such an experience to travellers , Malaysia has been chosen as the “ Top Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year ( OIC )” at the recent Halal in Travel Awards .
It maintains its position as the preferred destination for Muslim travellers , as reported by MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index ( GMTI ) 2022 .
The award ceremony and the launch of the GMTI 2022 report happened during the Halal in Travel Global Summit ( HITCGS ) 2022 , held in Singapore .
Dato ’ Dr Mohmed Razip Haji Hasan , Director-General of Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ), Malaysia , received the award on behalf of Malaysia at the event .
“ It is a great honour for Malaysia to be selected again as the leading Muslim-friendly destination .
This is the recognition of the ongoing works and efforts by the stakeholders , particularly the private sectors , hoteliers , Ministry of Tourism , Arts and Culture Malaysia ( MOTAC ), Tourism Malaysia , ITC , and the people of Malaysia .
“ It is a great honour not only for Malaysia but the whole world , which has now recognised the importance of the Muslim travel market . Let ’ s work together to create more value and appreciation for this up-andcoming market ,” said Mohmed Razip .
Tourism recovery and Malaysia ’ s safe reopening
MOTAC Minister Dato Sri Nancy Shukri congratulated CrescentRating and MasterCard on the launch of GMTI 2022 .
During her keynote address at the summit , Nancy said : “ Malaysia is honoured to have topped the Index since it was launched in 2015 . We remain dedicated to advocating for Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality on the local and global scale .”
She shared that international tourist
Dato ' Dr Mohmed Razip Haji Hasan , Director-General of Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ), Malaysia , received the award on behalf of Malaysia .
It is a great honour not only for Malaysia but the whole world , which has now recognised the importance of the Muslim travel market . Let ’ s work together to create more value and appreciation for this up-and-coming market .”
— Mohmed Razip arrivals had shown a significant rebound in the first month of the year , with 18 million more tourists than in 2021 .
“ Malaysia , too , has started to receive new and returning visitors with the reopening of our borders on Apr 1 , 2022 . We now welcome all travellers to our shores without any Covid-19 test requirements or quarantine for fully-vaccinated incoming tourists .
“ These efforts increase Malaysia ’ s accessibility to international travellers so they may enjoy the warm hospitality , culture and attractions here .”
Changes in the tourism landscape
Moving forward and taking lessons from the pandemic , Nancy then highlighted the new tourism landscape , which requires a shift in thinking .
She said it was the right time to consider some key questions about the new tourism landscape and the thinking around it .
Some of the critical questions she mentioned were :
• What does travel mean in the post-pandemic ?
• What are the new expectations of tourists when they travel ?
• What are travellers looking to gain from visiting a destination ?
• How could industry players provide better services and value to travellers post-pandemic ? “ On this note , it ’ s also worth redefining the meaning of sustainability . Sustainable tourism has been a buzzword for a long time . Today , it has taken on a new meaning that encompasses the sustainability of the environment and beyond .
“ Ultimately , tourism isn ’ t just about making travellers feel good in this day and age . It is also about the transformative potential of tourism to everyone who has a stake in this industry – everyone from the tourist , the investor , the industry player , the community , the government , the country , and more .
“ After all , tourism should not be for the benefit of one party and to the detriment of others .
“ Here , we can see that Islamic Tourism – defined as any tourism activity or experience undertaken in an Islamic way – reflects the value and values of the new tourism landscape .