Muslim Friendly Tourism (MFT):
Understanding the Supply and Demand Sides
In the OIC Member Countries
4
Malaysia (field-based case study)
Malaysia is one of the main destinations for Muslim visitors from around the world. It has been
recognized as the No. 1 ranked destination on the GMTI (2015)5. In 2013, it was also in the top
10 of the world in overall visitor arrivals. Muslim visitor arrivals constitute around 22 percent
of the total arrivals. The key and unique strength of Malaysian success story on MFT is the
commitment of Tourism Ministry as early as 2009 to identify the Muslim market as a priority
market. This also led to the creation of the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC).
The key lesson learnt in Malaysia’s success story is that a government led commitment is
required to activate the whole industry to make MFT a priority market for the destination. This
has led to it now becoming the best destination for Muslim visitors in the world with all
facilities, services aligning to cater to this segment.
Indonesia (field-based case study)
Indonesia has a huge potential to develop the MFT market with a wide array of possible
tourism products that it can develop. Poor infrastructure remains the biggest obstacle to
growth of MFT for Indonesia. Government efforts, combined with investment in the private
sector to develop the tourism industry, will be key towards making Indonesia an attractive
MFT destination. Providing a cultural experience is a strength in the country’s offering of a
Muslim friendly tourism. The Ministry of Tourism has also been engaging the industry to
develop the MFT market in Indonesia. In November 2015, it launched the Muslim Visitor guide
to Indonesia. It has also launched promotional programs with social media influencers to
showcase Indonesia as a Muslim friendly destination.
Despite the optimism of officials, there are concerns by some segments of the travel industry
that advancement for Islamic tourism could alienate other visitors who want to sunbathe or
relax on the beach with a drink. However, the local government insists it can promote “shariah
tourism” without affecting the existing industry, and that party hotspots in the area will
remain unaffected.
Key lesson learnt from the Indonesian efforts on promoting MFT is that a well thought out plan
should be developed and communicated to the diverse local groups and communities when
launching MFT. This plan should ensure that MFT market and services can co-exist with other
traditional tourism markets and services of the destination.
Qatar (field-based case study)
Qatar is another destination, which has the potential to grow the MFT market. Qatar Tourism
Authority’s stated aim is to develop the destination with a balance of preserving/showcasing
heritage as well as building modern attractions/experiences. MFT is one of the five key areas
prioritized for the development of tourism. Qatar currently does not offer the same variety and
diversity of activities and leisure attractions as some of its neighbors like the UAE. The
government has targeted the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions segment as a
source of development.
5 MasterCard-CrescentRating (2015); Global Muslim Travel Index 2015 (GMTI); Singapore CrescentRating