@Halal R&R - Rest & Rehlah July/August 2024 | Page 11

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July-August . 2024

Spotlight

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• Published and launched the first edition of the Islamic Tourism Journal ( ITJ ).
• Initiated the first cycle of the Islamic Tourism Research Grant ( ITRG ).
2018
2019
• Launched the pilot * Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Recognition ( MFAR ) initiative , recognising 12 hotels .
• Introduced the Share , Enrich , Enhance , and Develop ( SEED ) virtual sharing sessions during the Movement Control Order ( MCO ) 2.0 , featuring industry players and external speakers discussing the relationship between Ramadan values and Islamic tourism .
• Received the Strategic Business Alliance award at the BrandLaureate World Halal Best Brands E-Branding Awards 2021 .
• Launched the Islamic Tourism Entrepreneurship and Leadership Seminar ( ITELS ) on 21 October .
2021
* ITC ' s signature MFAR programme was initially established in 2019 . It was then known as Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Recognition , and focused only on the hotel sector . In 2022 , MFT ProHPack was introduced to recognise more tourism business sectors . Finally , MFAR was rebranded to Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition to ensure a more inclusive and holistic recognition .
2022
• Malaysia emerged as the No . 1 nation that best supports the multi-trillion dollar global Islamic economy , revealed DinarStandard in its State of the Global Islamic Economy ( SGIE ) Report 2022 .
• Malaysia was named the “ Top Muslim-Friendly Destination of the Year ( OIC )” at the Halal in Travel Awards , organised in conjunction with the annual Halal in Travel Global Summit ( HITGS ).
• The inaugural Islamic Tourism Week was organised as ITC ’ s signature event , a week-long festival showcasing Islamic tourism experiences in Malaysia from 20 June to 3 July .
• Mosque Tourism was enhanced with seminars and module development for the Mosque Visit Guide ( MosVi ). The first MosVi training was organised in Sarawak from 7-9 November .
• The pilot project for * Muslim-Friendly Tourism Products , Hospitality , and Packages ( MFT ProHPack ) delivered its first certifications to seven tourism products on 25
• Organised the Islamic Tourism Month ( ITM ) following the success of Islamic Tourism Week , with 125 strategic partners .
• Expanded the scope of MFAR beyond tourist accommodation premises , redefining it as * Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition .
2023
2024
• First China Imam Fam Trip recorded huge success with 58,000 packages sold in two months , recording a revenue of RM92.8 million .
• Malaysia retained top spot as leading destination for Muslim travellers in Global Muslim Travel Index 2024 report .
• ITC leads special task force on Malaysia as Umrah Transit Hub for the region .

DATO ’ Dr Mohmed Razip Hasan is the former Director-General of the Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ) from 2020 to 2022 . He shared his experiences and insights about leading the organisation during the Covid-19 pandemic .

“ I was asked to lead ITC two months before the lockdown . It was during the Covid-19 pandemic , so we cannot move freely . However , the advantage that we had then was the digital platform .
“ I took the opportunity and the challenge , learning about ITC and doing my level best . Alhamdulillah , it wasn ’ t all me but a result of teamwork that has shaped ITC into what it is today .”
Razip explained that the key to ITC ’ s success was involving all stakeholders , including the industry , policymakers , and the team . It was crucial for the team to function as a cohesive and winning unit . He noted that , after reviewing ITC ’ s previous work , several new programmes and activities were introduced to support ITC as the only government-backed organisation in Islamic tourism .
During the Covid-19 pandemic , ITC also made extensive use of technology . Despite restrictions on travel and in-person meetings , online platforms allowed ITC to promote its programmes effectively . This approach led to increased recognition and awareness within the industry .
Wishing ITC a happy 15th anniversary , Razip emphasised the importance of solid leadership . He noted that effective leadership at ITC involves not only being wellsupported by the team but also fostering mutual respect and collab-
I was asked to lead ITC two months before the lockdown . It was during the Covid-19 pandemic , so we cannot move freely . However , the advantage that we had then was the digital platform . ”
– Dato ’ Dr Mohmed Razip Hasan
oration . It is essential for everyone , regardless of their position , to listen to and value each other ’ s ideas .
“ While ITC has enjoyed success and has been accepted by the industry locally and overseas , they should maintain , improve , and enhance that . At the end of the day , it ’ s not just what ITC has achieved , but what Malaysia has achieved and , in the global context , what Islamic tourism has achieved .”

DATO ’ Sri Dr Abdul Khani served as the Director-General of the Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ) from 2018 to 2020 . He noted that he was informed about the extensive research portfolio completed by ITC at the time . Recognising the value of these findings , he aimed to implement them despite facing significant funding constraints .

“ We only had about RM2 million to run the office and its activities , which required a very strategic approach to maximise our impact . Collaboration was key ,” Khani explained .
He highlighted the Muslim- Friendly Accommodation Recognition ( MFAR ) programme as a prime example of ITC ’ s impactful initiative .
He also addressed the potential and challenges in mosque tourism during his tenure , particularly the lack of specific in-house guides . To solve this , ITC collaborated with mosque committees and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia ( USIM ) to develop specialised guides and standard operating procedures and discussed with the Ministry of Tourism , Arts and Culture ( MOTAC ) to create a unique programme for mosque guides .
“ For me , although the initial idea of setting up ITC was to focus on research activities for Islamic tourism , I believe that if the government wants to maintain ITC as an agency for Malaysia , we need to tweak the objective a bit . It should also serve as a marketing arm for Islamic tourism in Malaysia , similar to how we promote leisure tourism to other countries through Tourism Malay-
We only had about RM2 million to run the office and its activities , which required a very strategic approach to maximise our impact . Collaboration was key .”
– Dato ’ Sri Dr Abdul Khani
sia . We don ’ t want to duplicate the efforts that Tourism Malaysia and ITC have made . Therefore , we need to carefully craft ITC ’ s role to promote Islamic tourism effectively , in addition to conducting research , because both aspects must go hand in hand .”