May-June . 2022 | @ Halal
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Abidin Mosque , Kuala Terengganu . Mosque Tourism is one of Malaysia ' s unique attractions .
Dato Sri Nancy Shukri .
“ It promotes sustainability in many forms , from economic , social and spiritual sustainability , to environmental , cultural and heritage sustainability . In the Quran , there are multiple verses where we are reminded to be wary of the consequences of our actions and the decisions we make to the world .”
Muslim tourist market potential
As a largely untapped market , Islamic Tourism and the Muslim tourist market have the potential to lead destinations towards tourism and economic recovery in this postpandemic time , said Nancy .
“ Data-wise , many references point to the potential of the global Muslim market , whose population stands at 1.9 billion people worldwide . As reported by CrescentRating , international Muslim travellers showed strong growth before the pandemic , with 108 million Muslim travellers in 2013 , increasing to 160 million in 2019 .
“ There is reason to believe that the Muslim travel market will pick up again now that global borders are reopening , with a forecast of 230 million Muslims travelling by 2028 .”
Nancy said Muslim tourists sought exciting sights and experiences on their holidays like any conventional tourist . However , these people are also discerning travellers who wish to enjoy a good lifestyle and experience a fulfilling and inspiring time when they travel .
“ Muslim-friendly hotels , halal food , and water-friendly toilets are some things that would ease a Muslim traveller ’ s exploration of a destination while allowing them to observe their faith .
“ We also see the role of technology in
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 .”— Nancy Shukri
the future of Islamic tourism . As travellers become savvier with technology and demand information at their fingertips , there is potential for digital applications and new technology growth within this market .
“ Travel technology will help Muslims worldwide identify halal food , get prayer times notifications , download Muslimfriendly entertainment on the go , and create Muslim-friendly trip itinerary suggestions from their mobile devices before and during their travel ,” explained Nancy .
Malaysia ’ s Muslim-friendly initiatives
Nancy stated that Malaysia ’ s experience with the Muslim tourist market had been promising .
Looking at the pre-pandemic Muslim tourist arrival figures , the market contributed to 5.3 million tourists to Malaysia , with tourist expenditure amounting to RM16.72 billion ( US $ 3.8 billion ) in 2019 .
Through ITC , Malaysia has developed a tourism ecosystem that supports and facilitates the arrival of more Muslim
About GMTI 2022
• The Global Muslim Travel Index ( GMTI ) monitors the overall performance of the global Muslim traveller market .
• The report helps businesses and the tourism industry understand the halal tourism landscape better and learn lessons from top-ranked destinations .
• Malaysia has consistently ranked number 1 in the GMTI rankings since its launch in 2015 for its outstanding efforts to cater to the needs of Muslim travellers continuously .
• This year ’ s GMTI report examines the impact of the pandemic on the Halal Travel 2.0 drivers identified in the GMTI 2019 report and takes an in-depth look at how GenZ , Millennials , and Women will shape the future of halal travel .
• The Halal in Travel Awards is organised in conjunction with the annual Halal in Travel Global Summit ( HITGS ) to celebrate the travel industry players ’ efforts to make halal travel a seamless experience .
tourists to its shores . The agency ’ s efforts consist of training and capacity building , research , standards and certification development to ensure industry players understand the needs of the Muslim tourists and will be prepared to provide value to the segment .
Among ITC ’ s initiatives include the introduction of the Muslim-friendly Accommodation Recognition ( MFAR ) programme , providing Muslim-friendly Tourist Guide ( MFTG ) training , collaborating with learning institutions to develop Islamic Tourism courses at the tertiary level and partnering with Muslim-majority countries like Saudi Arabia .
“ As we transition to post-pandemic travel , live events will be reinstated . This year , ITC will be hosting the first-ever Islamic Tourism Week in June and the third World Islamic Tourism Conference in October .
“ Now that we can travel again , I invite you to visit Malaysia . We have many Muslimfriendly tour packages to explore our history , mosque architecture , heritage , gastronomy , nature , arts and culture .”