Reshaping The Future Of Malaysia S Muslim Friendly Tourism Sector

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MALAYSIA’S top position in the Muslim-friendly travel category of the Global Islamic Economy Indicator (GIEI) 2024 are attributed to two main factors, namely a strong rebound in international arrivals and consistent industry commitment.
According to DinarStandard’s State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) Report 2024/2025, traveller arrivals have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels while stakeholders are engaging more actively in Muslim-friendly targeted events.
DinarStandard Partner Reem El Shafaki noted that much of this impetus is owed to the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC).
“ITC has been instrumental in developing standards, training programmes and industry engagement initiatives that have helped institutionalise Muslim-friendly practices across the tourism value chain,” she remarked.
Reem further pointed out that while the nation has the infrastructure to support Muslim travellers, ITC’s post-pandemic efforts in the past five years have been crucial, and these initiatives have proven successful in aligning the industry more strategically with global halal tourism trends.
The Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) programme is cited as a key initiative that outlines clear standards for service providers and incentivises compliance through awards and recognitions.
“Any policy or programme that increases tourism spendings or draws more visitors ultimately contributes to gross domestic product (GDP),” the halal business magazine further quoted Reem as saying.
The nation’s economic gains from Muslim-friendly tourism are also supported by its cross-sector collaboration, and through concerted efforts, government agencies, private sector entities, religious authorities and certification bodies ensure the implementation of Muslim-friendly tourism standards nationwide.
Malaysia’s strong performance across key sub-indicators reflects its global leadership in Muslim-friendly tourism (Image: @Halal)Meanwhile, recognising the promising prospects of Muslim-friendly tourism, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations are also directing significant investments towards the sector.
Among the many landmark investments that have reshaped the Muslim-friendly tourism landscape include Qatar’s funding into halal travel initiatives for the Philippines as well as the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) US$3 bil investment to boost Indonesia’s tourism infrastructure.
Malaysia, with its global recognition under the GIEI, is strategically positioned to attract growing GCC investments, with the SGIE 2024/2025 Report outlining several crucial areas of focus:
Innovation: Enhance overall preparedness for digital technology adoption and foster a more robust environment for innovation and entrepreneurship;Tourism arrivals: Maintainnig substantial visitor numbers to preserve momentum;Awareness: Sustaining high visibility through events, certification programmes and education; andStrong halal-friendly ecosystem: Continue to support and expand this core competitive advantage.In addition to these priorities, the report noted that several high-impact initiatives with measurable economic outcomes are required, namely by launching an Islamic-themed hotel brand and a Muslim-friendly family retreat product as well as by positioning Malaysia as a pioneer through a Prophetic Traditions Spa brand and an Islamic Economy Web 3.0 event and awards platform.
Another suggestion put forward is the development of marketing campaigns around Islamic heritage experiences and building the capacity of SME experience providers.
Reem said while Malaysia has demonstrated consistent leadership in Muslim-friendly tourism, it is believed that the real opportunity now lies in sustaining this momentum. ‒  Focus Malaysia

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