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According to MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2021, Malaysia has once again topped the list of best Muslim-friendly holiday destinations for Muslim travelers with a 0-score difference from last year.
Earlier this year, at the Halal In-Travel Global Summit 2021, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri stated that Malaysia remains fully supportive of helping to further expand the Muslim-friendly travel segment, which has grown in importance to the global tourism market.
She also stated that main parts of the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC), an institution under Motac in charge of Islamic tourism-related matters, especially Islamic Tourism Research and training as donations towards the recognition
“Perhaps what can be regarded as ITC’s leading-edge is its standing among international destinations, governmental agencies, and tourism organizations overseas in leading the concept of Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality. ITC’s involvement at the regional and international level also includes being chair of several committees to establish guidelines and standards for Muslim-Friendly tourism services,” is what she stated at a virtual conference.
The Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Recognition (MFAR) program, which recognizes hotels and resorts that provides services to the Muslim tourist market’s needs, was one of ITC’s key initiatives. To date, ITC has acknowledged 44 hotels in the country under the MFAR program.
These are all reasons why Malaysia is once again at the top of the GMTI list. The GMTI 2021 report ranks 140 destinations based on their ability to attract the Muslim travel market in the Covid-19 environment, considering key factors such as accessibility, environment, and travel destination services.
GMTI 2021, according to CrescentRating founder and CEO Fazal Bahardeen, will assist destinations in preparing for post-pandemic tourism recovery.
“The pandemic has had a colossal impact on the travel sector. Muslim (tourist) arrivals dropped to 42 million in 2020 from an all-time high of an estimated 160 million in 2019.
“As we start this recovery journey, we project that the Muslim travel market will return to the 2019 levels by 2023,” he said.
The latest index, according to Fazal, took into account the evolving concept of travel bubbles and corridors.
Due to the pandemic, the GMTI 2021 noted some changes in travel choices. The rise of “contactless travel” is one such change. In a post-pandemic environment, it’s a trend that will continue to grow, according to Mastercard division president (Southeast Asia Emerging Markets) Safdar Khan.
“The pandemic has accelerated the digital transformation of the airline industry. Developing a digital-first, low-touch, contactless customer experience will be a pivotal driver in the travel industry’s recovery roadmap,” he said.
In the coming year, 94 percent of consumers in the Asia Pacific will consider using at least one new payment method, such as QR codes, digital or mobile wallets, cryptocurrencies, biometrics, and others, according to the Mastercard New Payments Index. Digital payments, according to Safdar, will be critical in aiding the travel industry’s recovery once restrictions are lifted.
“Asia Pacific is renowned for its popularity with Muslim travelers. As the world begins to open again, understanding how best to meet the needs of this important demographic will be crucial to ensuring that the travel sector’s recovery is both sustainable and inclusive,” he said.
