SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 | 11

THE Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ) held Seminar Keusahawanan dan Kepimpinan Pelancongan Islam ( Islamic Tourism Entrepreneurship and Leadership Seminar – ITELS ) at The Waterfront Hotel , Kuching , on Sep 14-15 , 2022 . It aimed to raise awareness of the advantages and opportunities this billion-dollar worth sector can offer the people of Sarawak .

“ Islamic Tourism opens more doors of opportunity for the people of Sarawak to generate income through the tourism industry ,” said YB Dato Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri , Minister of Tourism , Arts and Culture , in her keynote speech at the seminar .

ITELS Sarawak saw the participation of 70 industry practitioners and the local community interested in learning more about this growing sector and the entrepreneurial and employment opportunities it brings . “ The Land of the Hornbills ” was selected as the location of the fourth instalment of this seminar series for its ability to attract Muslim and non-Muslim tourists with its ethnic , cultural , heritage and flora and fauna diversity .

“ Tourism product operators and the rakyat of Sarawak should grab the opportunities available in Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality space . They should also leverage the State ’ s natural and cultural gems , local customs , heritage cuisines and handicrafts to attract the Muslim tourist market ,” said YB Dato Sri Hajah Nancy .

She continued highlighting Mosque

ISLAMIC Tourism Centre , an agency under the Ministry of Tourism , Arts and Culture ( MOTAC ), successfully organised two Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide ( MFTG ) Training courses this year in Kuching , Sarawak from Sept 12 to 14 , and in Kuala Lumpur from Oct 11 to 13 , 2022 .

These two editions of MFTG course saw the participation of 51 MOTAC-licenced tourist guides into the programme , making the total number of MFTGs throughout Malaysia stand at 113 .

ITC had reanalysed and restructured the modules of the programme to better fit today ' s tourism industry climate . The course now addresses more topics on ethics and communications while discussions surrounding Shariah and Halal are moulded to be even more tourism and business-centric .

Tourism and homestay as some activities that best display Sarawak ’ s famous multi-ethnic groups ’ ways of life and cross-cultural values . ITELS Sarawak featured 11 speakers to share their expertise in leadership , entrepreneurship , financial management , Islamic Tourism-related standards and certification . Renowned industry players were also invited to talk about their success stories to motivate further and inspire the participants to contribute to developing the country ’ s MFTH sector .

YB Nancy Shukri , Minister of Tourism , Arts and Culture encourages more Sarawakians to explore Islamic Tourism potential in Sarawak .

Participants of the hybrid seminar on tourism-related topics at Taipei .

THE Malaysian Friendship and Trade Centre in Taipei , together with Tourism Malaysia Taipei Office , organised a hybrid seminar on three tourism-related topics targeted at the tourism industry players in Taiwan .

Held at The Howard Plaza Hotel Taipei on Sep 7 , 2022 , the seminar focused on promoting a better understanding of what Malaysia offers to the Taiwanese . Apart from being the top Muslim-friendly travel destination , Malaysia is also known for its medical tourism and Malaysia My Second Home ( MM2H ) programme .

Fitra Mohd Ali , Director ( Covering ) of Industry Development from the Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ), was the first speaker on the topic : Malaysia as a Muslim-Friendly Travel Destination . He addressed that Malaysia was chosen as one of the top travel destinations for Muslim travellers by Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel ( GMTI ) 2022 ’ s report , closely followed by Turkey , Saudi Arabia , and Indonesia in joint 2nd position .

Malaysia possesses all the necessary components as a Muslim tourist destination with an abundance of halal food , prayer and washing facilities , family-friendly entertainment , Muslim-friendly services , and Islamic attractions and tourism products . These features cater to Muslim visitors ’ demands and allow non-Muslim visitors to enjoy Malaysia ’ s charms .

Over the years , there have been many ongoing collaborations and initiatives between ITC and industry players , including research , seminars , workshops , and industry development programmes , to build Malaysia ’ s reputation in the global Islamic tourism industry .

ISLAMIC Tourism Centre kicked off its third Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme ( MTCP ) short course on Sept 21 , 2022 . This time , the focus is on “ Enhancing Sustainability by Linking Culture , Nature and Community Through Tourism ”. Sustainable tourism planning is essential for the industry to provide lasting benefits . Linking culture , nature , and the community within a tourism framework ensures that tourism development is inclusive , wellmanaged , and ongoing . This online short course , organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs , Malaysia , received a diverse group of 15 participants from Iran , Tonga , Panama , Togo , Kiribas , Ecuador , Samoa , Ghana , Algeria and Mexico . — R & R