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A REVIEW ITC 2020-2025
The Mosque Tourism Movement
From landmarks to learning spaces: welcoming visitors, correcting misconceptions
MTRT Kelantan: 13 – 15 July 2025 at Hotel Perdana Kota Bharu( MFAR Platinum)
Masjid Wilayah Persekutuan in Kuala Lumpur.
In 2020 – 2025, the Islamic Tourism Centre( ITC) helped Malaysia articulate a respectful model for mosque tourism. The Mosque Tourism Roundtable( MTRT) – Putrajaya( 2014), Terengganu( 2017), Penang( 2019) and Kelantan( 2025), brought religious authorities, mosque committees and industry together to design hospitable practices, encompassing reception counters, appropriate attire, trained docents and clear visitor guidance.
The outcome is not commodification but clarity: mosques as places of worship that also host curious visitors with decorum.
The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia( JAKIM)' s perspective is instructive: major mosques are already magnets for visitors; the task is to channel that interest into encounters that inform rather than intrude.
With Islamic Tourism Month( ITM)' s Mosque Open Day( MOD) and a new Tourism Mosque Directory, Malaysia is documenting, wayfinding and storytelling, giving travellers context while giving mosque communities tools to participate with confidence. The model extends beyond iconic sites to smaller community mosques, creating new micro‐economies for local guides, crafts and halal food operators.
As Visit Malaysia 2026( VM2026) approaches, a national‘ welcome kit’ for mosques; signage templates, dos and don’ ts, volunteer scripts and multilingual FAQs, can help harmonise practice without erasing local character. The goal is simple: protect sanctity, deepen understanding and share beauty.
Tourism Mosque Directory launched to bridge information gaps for travellers and operators
Mosque Open Day An ITC-led initiative that drives cultural diplomacy and interfaith engagement
“ Visitors are curious to observe how Muslims perform their prayers … It’ s an opportunity that should be highlighted with Visit Malaysia 2026.”
— Dato’ Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee, Director‐General, JAKIM— RnR July – Aug 2025, p. 8
References: RnR July – Aug 2025.