Muslim Friendly Tourism (MFT):

Understanding the Supply and Demand Sides

In the OIC Member Countries

Qatar has the basic MFT services such as availability of Halal food, prayer facilities etc. A large

majority of hotels offer prayer facilities – such as designated prayer rooms, prayer mats and

timetables and Qibla signs marked in rooms – for Muslim guests for prayers. Competition from

regional destinations such as UAE is going to be its main challenge.

UAE (desk-based case study)

UAE is one of the fastest growing destinations for Muslim visitors. The continuous investment

by UAE, especially by Dubai and Abu Dhabi has made it an attractive destination for Muslim

tourists for both enjoying the attractions as well as shopping. Dubai is positioning itself as the

“Islamic economic capital of the world” and family travel which includes MFT as one of the key

verticals within the initiative. Abu Dhabi is also positioning to be the “halal travel” destination

of choice.

Dubai was ranked as the no. 1 shopping destination for Muslims in the Muslim Travel

Shopping Index 2015. A good shopping experience in a Muslim friendly environment is

definitely a key strength of Dubai. Dubai’s positioning as the “Islamic economic capital of the

world” has also energized the many businesses including travel business to look at how

become more Muslim friendly.

Tunisia (desk-based case study)

Tunisia’s tourism products are mainly based on its beaches and beach resorts. It is positioned

as a sun and sea destination. Tunisia has, nonetheless, a lot more to offer in terms of culture,

ecotourism, health & wellness, and even golf tourism, all of which could target Muslim visitors.

However, the recent violent incidents at, or close to, tourist hotspots have made it a huge

challenge to grow the tourism market in general and MFT in particular in Tunisia. Since the

majority of country's population is Muslim, it has a good foundation and great potential for

Muslim friendly services infrastructure as well as Halal awareness.

Singapore (desk-based case study)

The Global Muslim Travel Index 2015 (GMTI 2015)

report ranks Singapore as the No. 1

Muslim friendly destination among the non-OIC countries. With Muslim arrivals constituting

around 20 percent of the total arrivals in 2014, it is a good example of how a destination

manages the needs of both Muslim and non-Muslim visitors.

The key strength of Singapore lies with its local Muslim population. With around 15 percent of

the population being Muslim, Singapore has been able to develop a strong Halal food and

Muslim friendly services eco-system. Singapore has one of the strongest Halal certification

bodies among the non-OIC countries. Singapore Tourism Board published the Muslim visitor

guide in 2010. The key challenge for Singapore is the emerging competition from countries

like Japan, Korea and Taiwan targeting the main source market of Singapore; namely, Malaysia

and Indonesia.

MasterCard-CrescentRating (2015); Global Muslim Travel Index 2015 (GMTI); Singapore CrescentRating