The centre took the opportunity to organise the 3rd World Islamic Tourism Conference ( WITC ) with the theme “ Islamic Tourism : Inspiring Balance , Transformations and Solutions ” on Oct 17-19 , 2022 , at World Trade Centre , Kuala Lumpur .

Thirty-seven moderators and speakers and 460 participants attended the event on site and online daily . An additional exhibition component was included in this 3rd edition of WITC , featuring 80 exhibitors of local and international tourism-related businesses .

Dato ’ Dr Mohmed Razip Hasan , ITC Director-General , said the theme of this year ’ s WITC was chosen to consciously drive home a new perspective on tourism , particularly on Islamic Tourism .

“ Islamic Tourism offers a balanced strategy for destinations and tourism industry players to participate in a growing tourism economy . It has the potential to positively impact all major economic sectors , opening up more business opportunities and transformative economic growth . It also offers a solution for a better world through an ecosystem founded on an Islamic framework and principle ,” he said .

“ What ITC would like to share here is a picture of the Muslim tourist market and its outlook for business and economic opportunities , intending to give audiences and our industry tourism players the option to participate in a growing new dimension of tourism . The information presented during this 3-day conference informs you about the Muslim tourist market and how businesses should leverage it to remain competitive .”

Dato ’ Dr Mohmed Razip Hasan .

to experience the world in a safe environment , without Islamophobia , and facilitated by the wonders of technology .

• The empowerment of local entrepreneurs and cooperation in attracting Muslim tourists is crucial for global tourism businesses . An innovative business programme is needed to develop industry players to level up to the needs of the domestic and international markets .

• Islamic Tourism is an ecosystem in the tourism industry that presents a global potential for sustainability ; thus , tourism industry players are encouraged to adopt sustainable practices to meet the needs of the growing two billion Muslim population globally .

• Tourism players need to understand that travellers , including Muslim travellers , are now more independent in sourcing information and making travel arrangements . So , online resources and content are essential to facilitate Muslim travellers ’ decision-making process and travel journey .

• The emergence of Islamic Tourism around the world creates enormous competition . Malaysia can stand out by developing a highly-recognised standard to ensure products and services meet the stakeholders ’ expectations without compromising Islamic principles

and practices .

A BILLION-DOLLAR SOCIO-ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

“ To conclude , times have changed , and this is the flip side of the coin . Destinations and economies can choose to see the old stereotype of Muslims or view this group with fresh perceptions and new perspectives .

“ There is a growing , renewed interest in the Muslim market , which is sophisticated and influential , a two billion global market size . But this time , unlike more than two decades ago , this interest is filled with positivity , hope and promise . By 2028 , we will see an estimated 230 million Muslim tourist movements across the globe . Dismissing this Muslim tourist market segment could mean losing a billion-dollar socio-economic opportunity .”

“ The question is not ‘ What are Malaysia and our tourism industry players doing about it ?’ but rather , ‘ What are we not ?’”

Razip ended his note by expressing his gratitude to the speakers , moderators and participants of WITC 2022 . He wished their investment of time and attention to the 3-day event would multiply manifold in the coming days .

“ May this knowledge enlighten us and shine a clear path forward in Islamic Tourism development .”— R & R

MAIN TAKEAWAYS FROM WITC 2022

Gracing the closing ceremony of WITC 2022 , Razip , in his closing remarks , shared some of the key takeaways gained from speakers and moderators throughout the three-day event . Some of the points are :

• Islamic Tourism is part of the National Tourism Policy ( NTP ) 2020-2030 to expedite the nation ’ s economic rebuilding process . Stakeholders are encouraged to explore the Muslim tourist market further because , from Malaysia ’ s experience , the Muslim tourist market made up 20 per cent of the overall tourist arrivals and 18 per cent of the tourist receipts Malaysia received in 2019 .

• The brand concept of Muslim-Friendly tourism is suitable to attract the burgeoning Muslim market . Industry players should not focus solely on products but also on hospitality and how to serve tourists better .

• Most Muslim travellers have the same criteria as other travellers – they want