September-October . 2021 | @ Halal

13 tourism to society and community , and engaging with the relevant parties to inspire them of this idea . We connected with mosques , religious departments , and tourism industry players to share ideas and encourage their participation throughout the process .

One of our engagements was organising the inaugural National Imam Roundtable Conference in 2016 to raise awareness on the growing interest in Mosque Tourism . Among the resolutions passed at the conference were :

• to allow and facilitate mosque visits by non-Muslims under proper guidance

• to ensure the comfort and safety of all visitors to the mosque

• Two more Imam Roundtable Conferences in Terengganu and Penang were followed up in 2017 and 2019 respectively , to enhance the resolutions further . The second effort by ITC in the development of Mosque Tourism was through a study that ITC commissioned in 2018 entitled , “ Profiling of Mosques with Tourism-Related Attractions within the Tourism Corridors in Malaysia .” The study analysed and evaluated the current status and prospects of Mosque Tourism in Malaysia . The study also helped ITC identify mosques nationwide that possess the potential to be included in the Mosque Tourism programme .

How does ITC plan to push and promote this segment of tourism at both domestic and international levels ? ITC ’ s efforts in this area comprise strengthening the supply side while pushing for the demand of Mosque Tourism . We can ’ t emphasise enough how important it is for us to leverage partnerships and collaborations with industry players and stakeholders to make this happen . Alhamdulillah , we ’ ve received tremendous support from everyone to make this possible .

Much of our work is first to raise awareness for Islamic Tourism ’ s potentials and the many opportunities for Malaysia to tap into it . Through our training programmes and webinars , we seek to strengthen and motivate the industry players . This is especially important now when the pandemic has impacted the industry , and many are beginning to lose hope . We continue to share with industry players that there are opportunities in Islamic Tourism and that the Muslim tourist market is something to be looked into .

Regarding Mosque Tourism , we have collaborated with the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia ( Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia - JAKIM ). We organised three National Imam Round Table Conferences to encourage Imams and mosque committee members to include Mosque Tourism as part of their offerings and to look into new product development .

I ’ m also pleased to note that ITC is also working with State tourism boards to create awareness on Mosque Tourism . To quote a few , we collaborate with Tourism Selangor on developing Mosque Tourism packages . They will soon be launching Muslim-friendly Excursion Tours that feature visits to historic mosques in the Abode of Sincerity . Similarly , we will also work on Mosque Tourism trail packages with Tourism Perak soon and collaborations with other states , including Melaka , Kelantan and Terengganu , Johor , Pahang , and Sarawak .

In addition , ITC is also working with several Government agencies such as Department of National Heritage , National Archives of Malaysia , National Library of Malaysia , along with universities and academia for research and literature on mosques .

I am of the view that working with the media is not an option but essential . Thus , we also help to provide media exposure to these mosques through our collaboration with the media on educational and familiarisation trips . In addition , product and technical tours of mosques are included in relevant courses conducted by ITC for local and international

I wish to recall the journey that ITC has taken to introduce Mosque Tourism as a niche product . Alhamdulillah , ITC facilitated the way and played a vital role in the development of Mosque Tourism by first recognising the opportunity , then sharing the importance of tourism to society and community , and engaging with the relevant parties to inspire them of this idea .

participants . These courses are now taught online , so such mosque tours are also to be done virtually .

Other promotional efforts done by ITC are through our collaborations with various mosques in the Klang Valley to organise the “ Mosque Open day ” programmes . In addition , ITC also contributes assistance in the form of providing tourists robes to various mosques in Malaysia , including Masjid Abidin , Trengganu ; Masjid Kristal , Terengganu ; Masjid Muhammadiah , Perak ; and Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah , Selangor . I am excited about the potential of Mosque Tourism and its economic and cultural impacts on the community .

What are some aspects that become the selling points of participating mosques ? Some unique examples are the Masjid Muhammadiah ( Masjid Cina ) in Perak ; Masjid Kampung Kling in Melaka ; Masjid Sultan Alauddin in Jugra , Kuala Langat , Selangor ; and Masjid Zahir , Alor Setar , Kedah , just to name a few .

But the attraction of mosques goes beyond their beautiful physical attributes . Mosques are also an excellent place for tourists to learn about the culture of the local Muslim community . In the pre-COVID days , visitors could experience activities organised by the mosque committee or the local community . Among the popular ones are activities related to celebrations such as Eid and Ramadan .

In addition , mosques are seen as sacred places for worship , cleansing and spiritual development . These aspects are also appealing to get the Ummah closer to a mosque for mind and soul development , to promote togetherness and unity , love and caring , as well as to nurture an appreciation for knowledge and learning , Islamic history , heritage , and civilisation , which are reflected in every aspect of the mosque .

How does ITC assist participating mosques in promoting and strengthening their Mosque Tourism programme ? Being an agency that aims to develop Islamic Tourism through training , capacity building , research , industry development , and branding , ITC provides training to equip the existing inhouse tour guides or coordinators with a proper understanding of Mosque Tourism in Malaysia . Topics covered include soft skills and technical training on communications and storytelling , digital technology and others .

Mosque Tourism is an opportunity for local authorities to work together with the mosque and the nearby tourist attractions , local community , hotels , cafes and restaurants and other tourism-related operators to showcase the local area for tourism development . We hope to have this opportunity to collaborate more with mosque administrators and tourism industry practitioners in the future .

Besides this , we also utilise our social media platforms to provide publicity and exposure to mosques as tourist attractions .

What are your thoughts on the potential of Mosque Tourism in Malaysia ? Mosque Tourism can position itself as a key tourist attraction in the development of Malaysia ’ s Islamic Tourism landscape and create economic benefits for all . The consumer base is vast because it is an attraction to the Muslim tourist population and non-Muslims everywhere . Furthermore , Mosque Tourism involves participation from everyone -- tour guides , transportation service providers , the hotels and resorts located near the mosque , the museums and other tourist attractions nearby , the travel agents , the local community -- and so the economic benefits also cascade down to them . In short , I can say that Mosque Tourism is an essential pillar in Islamic Tourism and Insha Allah will be more visible and recognised strongly . It has its ecosystem and supply chain .

Malaysia can leverage its unique position as an Islamic country with a multiracial , multifaith population to attract visitors . We have a unique narrative about our diverse population , yet peaceful society of various cultures and races . I think people are interested to know how we can manage that -- how Malaysia can retain its Islamic identity within this rich tapestry of culture and heritage , and in fact , how those distinct characteristics have lent themselves to nurturing a very special way of life in Malaysia . It ’ s manifested in the architecture and location of our mosques , for example . In Melaka , there is a street called Jalan Tokong , which the locals call the “ Street of Harmony ” due to the three places of worship for three different religions , i . e . the Kampung Kling Mosque , the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple , and the Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple .

Also , due to all our races intermingling together , the Malaysian Muslims have their unique way of Eid Open House traditions and celebrating religious events and exceptional food and dressing -- all these arouse curiosity and appeal to visitors in the way Islam is practised here in Malaysia . It promotes just , love , respect and harmony .

So yes , Mosque Tourism has huge potential , and the way to leverage that is for the mosques involved to understand tourism and culture , the concept of service delivery , conservation and sustainability , public relations , the provision of touristic facilities , and to have an awareness of the opportunities to expand beyond providing worship services .

In this aspect , ITC ’ s role is to help inspire them and share with them the opportunities out there in tourism , which we implement through our training courses and industry development efforts . Our efforts are also targeted to the entire tourism industry players , including the tour guides , the travel agents , the hoteliers , the local community because tourism is an interconnected industry where everyone can take part and everyone gains . In the spirit of Malaysia Prihatin , let ’ s join hands , minds , and efforts , to develop and promote Mosque Tourism as an essential tourism product for Malaysia . Insha Allah we succeed . Wassalam . Thank you .