How To Welcome And Cater For Muslim Travellers

The global halaal market has become an essential travel and tourism industry segment driven by the increasing number of Muslim travellers seeking destinations that cater for their religious and cultural needs. As demand for Muslim-friendly services rises, the industry faces opportunities and challenges in providing seamless travel experiences for this growing segment.

In 2022, 110 million Muslims travelled internationally, accounting for 12 of all global international arrivals. According to the Global Muslim Travel Index 2023 GMTI 2023, this represented 68 of pre-pandemic travel levels. The Muslim travel market is expected to grow significantly as the world recovers from the pandemic. Projections suggest that Muslim traveller arrivals will increase to 230 million by 2028. By then, Muslim travellers expenditures are expected to reach US225 billion GMTI 2023.

The global Muslim population, currently at two billion, is expected to grow to 2.3 billion by 2030, accounting for 27 of the worlds population. This expanding population highlights the increasing significance of the halaal market in the global economy and growing demand for destinations that cater for Muslim-friendly services and infrastructure.

Halaal tourism destinations include Organisation of Islamic Cooperation OIC and non-OIC countries. Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey rank highly among OIC countries while Singapore, the United Kingdom and Taiwan lead the way for non-OIC destinations. These countries have made significant strides in offering halaal-certified food, Muslim-friendly accommodations and culturally sensitive services.

While the growth of the halaal market presents opportunities for the tourism industry, many destinations face challenges in fully meeting the needs of Muslim travellers. Some of the key complications include: