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Malaysia’s diverse culinary heritage has the potential to attract a growing number of Muslim visitors from other countries, said the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC).
ITC director-general Datuk Dr. Mohmed Razip Hasan said Malaysian foods can be a huge draw for Muslim tourists looking for halal and unique food experiences.
He cited beef rendang as an example of a classic Malaysian dish that could be promoted to international travelers. Accessibility to a variety of halal food will attract Muslim visitors from all over the world.
“What’s special about Malaysia is not only in the diversity of food choices but also the fact that halal food is easily available”.
“This is something worth highlighting to Muslims around the world because we understand that for Muslims, both locals and tourists, this (halal food) is especially important, ” he said in a statement.
“From a Muslim tourist’s point of view, when accessibility to halal food is present in a particular destination, consequently it will make their visit more welcoming, more comfortable, culminating in a positive experience of the country, ” he explained.
Mohmed said tourism industry players need to work together to make Malaysia an attractive destination for Muslims.
Malaysia has been consistently ranked the top country for Muslim-friendly tourism. It took the top spot, together with Indonesia, in the 2019 Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI).
The GMTI tracked the health and growth of Muslim-friendly travel destinations in four strategic areas – access, communications, environment, and services.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Muslim travel market had been one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors in the world.
