Muslim Friendly Tourism:
Developing and Marketing MFT Products and Services
In the OIC Member Countries
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friendly Tourism market. Such products and services have helped elevate Malaysia’s status as
a Muslim-friendly destination.
 Muslim-friendly Restaurants
Most of the fast food chains in Malaysia are Halal certified by the Department of Islamic
Development Malaysia (JAKIM). Hotels that hold government functions are also required to
have their kitchen certified Halal by JAKIM. There is a mixture of how restaurants declare
they are Halal and the government is trying to regulate this now. Some may just have a sign
saying they are ‘Pork Free’ which is an issue that is being addressed.
 Muslim-friendly Activities
 Medical Tourism
KPJ Healthcare Berhad is Malaysia's leading private healthcare service provider offering
almost all forms of preventive treatments from multiple disciplinary medicines to surgeries.
KPJ hospitals are Muslim-friendly providing Muslims with services such as Azan calling,
Muslim prayer room facilities, jenazah preparations, provision of tayammum clay, Yasin
recital by an Ustaz upon request and the serving of Halal food. KPJ also provides other
Muslim-friendly services such as the provision of female doctors for female patients.221
 Islamic Arts MuseumMalaysia (IAMM)
Beginning its operation in 1998, The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) is a non-profit
organization managed by the Albukhary Foundation. Their aim is to create a collection that is
truly representative of the Islamic world and their main mission is to be the custodian,
preserver and educator of Islamic art.
IAMM houses many facilities such as twelve galleries as permanent galleries on Islamic arts,
two special galleries on temporary thematic exhibitions, one open space gallery for
photography exhibitions, a museum restaurant that offers Middle Eastern cuisine, a museum
souvenir shop, and an education center that provides workshops, talks, crafts etc. for the
public. The museum puts an emphasis on works not only from Persia and the Middle East, but
also from Asia, India, China and the Malay World which are showcased in an exceptional
category. Other parts of the collection are displayed according to type rather than
geographical origins in the museum’s 12 galleries.
The museum helps expose locals as well as visiting tourists to Islamic arts and provides them
with basic knowledge of Islam and its influenced arts and cultures. Depending on the season,
70 to 80 percent of their visitors are foreigners. The number tips favorably towards local
Malaysians especially during local Malaysian school holidays.
 Muslim-friendly Airline
Rayani Air, an airline in Malaysia that claimed to be fully Shariah compliant, served strictly
Halal meals with no alcohol served on board, had female flight attendants wearing hijabs, and
Islamic prayers recited before each flight, had its operations suspended less than four months
after commencing.
221 Interview with Rafeah Ariffin, March 2016.