09
november-december. 2019 | @Halal
gcc traveler focus:
3%
Market Size
How much does global Muslim market spend on travel?
of global Muslim population
BUT
150
100
US$
(Billion)
250
200
2013 2019 (estimated)
$140 BIllion $238 BIllion
(11.5% of global expenditure) (11.5% of global expenditure)
benchmark
how does global Muslim market compare to the rest of the
world? (in US$ billion)
what are the most popular destination
countries for muslim tourists?
malaysia
$180.0
$121.8
united arab emirates
$98.9
$68.5
$51.6
United
States
of global Muslim traveler
expenditure
which countries have the top muslim tourism
expenditure? (in us$ billion)
saudi arabia
$17.4 billion
islamic republic of iran
$14.3 billion
1,262,000 Muslim tourists
$131.3
Global
Muslim
Market
31%
China
Germany
United
Kingdom
Russian
Federation
2,143,000 Muslim tourists
turkey
2,143,000 Muslim tourists
united arab emirates
$11.2 billion
qatar
$2.4 billion
Among the criteria to fulfi l the standards
include proximity to mosques and other
Islamic attractions, in-room prayer
facilities such as praying mats and qiblat
direction signs, halal-certifi ed restaurants,
segregated gyms and swimming pools for women.”
hoteliers, travel and tour operators, tourist
guides, cruises’ operator, tourism product
owners and homestay operators.
Some non-Muslim destinations such as
Japan, the Philippines and Brazil also off er
Muslim-friendly solutions or options to
scenario seen as problematic by Muslim
travellers.
For example, Chamber of Commerce in
Japan and the Philippine Travel agencies
association organised seminars to train
the tourism industry and restaurateurs to
satisfy Muslim tourist needs.
sHAping tHe future
WitH tecHnologY
In addition to more traditional online travel
agencies or OTas such as booking.com or
Tripadvisor, Muslim-friendly platforms are
springing up. For instance, Halalbooking.
com, a london-based market place for halal
tourist accommodation that is expecting
to achieve revenues of at least one billion
pounds by the end of 2021.
Peer-to-peer platforms are also emerg-
ing. Bookhalalhomes.com has become the
world’s leading portal for halal accommo-
dation rentals. It diff erentiates itself from
airbnb by guaranteeing halal-certified
services such as halal food and designated
prayer rooms.
Smartphone apps are also being devel-
oped. The Tourism authority of Thailand
has launched an app that helps Muslim
travelers fi nd halal products and services.
It provides information about prayer times,
food options and sightseeing tours.
Other apps such as MuslimPro and Halal-
Trip off er information related to more than
65 destinations worldwide. Technology
will continue to shape the growth of the
sector by allowing hoteliers, restaurateurs
and others to demonstrate they are well-
concerned to halal requirements by their
clients.
HoW innovAtion
Affects demAnd
With spending by Muslim travelers on
course to reach USD230 billion by 2025, and
Islam the fastest-growing religion in the
world, Muslim tourists are defi nitely some
of the most important customers in the
travel market.
Pull factors such as family-friendly and
Muslim-friendly services are important, as
is halal awareness. Where safety concerns
and basic halal requirements are met,
Muslim tourism will continue to grow. as
for technology, the halal industry is becom-
ing increasingly digitised with venture into
aI and augmented Reality (aR) technolo-
gies to create more fun and excitement.
apparently, halal tech fi rms appear to
have established a fi rst-mover advantage.
But it’s only a matter of time before major
OTas enter and seek to dominate this prom-
ising market.