Southeast Asia has once more emerged as the preferred destination for Muslim travelers in the most recent edition of Mastercard-CrescentRating’s Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), with Indonesia and Malaysia sharing the highest spot amongst 145 destinations within the 2024 survey. Singapore continues to guide the pack amongst non-OIC destinations, showcasing its commitment to serving Muslim travelers with halal food, prayer facilities and Muslim-friendly amenities.
The Muslim travel market is predicted to see significant growth this yr, with global arrivals potentially exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 5 percent. This growth is being driven by demographic changes, economic expansion, the expansion of cultural and halal tourism, and technological advances which are enhancing personalized travel experiences for Muslim travelers.
Indonesia and Malaysia maintain their position as leading OIC destinations for Muslim travelers, distinguishing themselves by ease of entry and tourist infrastructure. Thailand stays in the highest five non-OIC destinations, promoting halal tourism initiatives. The Philippines has significantly improved its attractiveness to Muslim tourists through strategic actions to develop halal tourism.
The GMTI report, now in its ninth yr, rates destinations based on access, connectivity, environment and services (ACES) criteria. This yr, latest indicators have been introduced that deal with facilities for disabled travellers. Tourism stakeholders are encouraged to make use of the insights from the GMTI 2024 report back to capitalise on the growing Muslim travel market.
Mastercard and CrescentRating’s partnership underscores the importance of understanding and serving Muslim travelers, with a deal with enhancing travel experiences and facilitating secure cross-border payments using advanced technologies comparable to artificial intelligence.
