MALAYSIA is aiming to significantly expand its position in the global Muslim-friendly tourism market by targeting 10.3 million Muslim tourist arrivals during the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign and 15.2 million arrivals annually by 2030.
The ambitious target forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen the country’s Islamic tourism ecosystem and capitalise on rising demand for halal-conscious travel experiences worldwide.
Islamic Tourism Centre director-general Mohammad Faisal Abu Suaib Khan said Muslim travellers were becoming an increasingly important segment of the global tourism industry, with Malaysia positioning itself as a preferred destination offering comfort, safety and culturally sensitive hospitality.
“For VM2026, we are targeting 10.3 million international Muslim arrivals out of 47 million visitors overall,” he said.
According to Faisal, the government’s focus extends beyond merely increasing visitor numbers, with authorities also seeking to ensure Muslim tourists feel welcomed and adequately accommodated throughout their travel experience.
Since 2009, the Islamic Tourism Centre has been developing Malaysia’s Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality ecosystem to guide industry players across a wide range of sectors, including hotels, transport services, halal dining, wellness tourism, modest fashion, retail and community-based tourism.
Faisal said South-East Asia remains Malaysia’s core Muslim tourism market, driven by the region’s estimated 274 million Muslim population, though the country is also actively targeting travellers from East Asia, Central Asia and South Asia.
Against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East, Faisal noted that safety and stability were increasingly shaping international travel decisions.
“Malaysia is well placed as a peaceful, culturally diverse and Muslim-friendly destination with ample halal food, prayer facilities and gender-sensitive services,” he said.
Central to Malaysia’s strategy are initiatives such as the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition programme, commonly known as MFAR, and the Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide certification scheme.
Malaysia currently has 365 certified Muslim-friendly tourist guides and approximately 100 hotels and travel agencies recognised under the MFAR framework.
The country has also begun exporting its expertise internationally.
In May, the Islamic Tourism Centre signed a Memorandum of Mutual Recognition with RusQuality during KazanForum 2026, allowing both sides to mutually recognise and use each other’s Muslim-friendly tourism branding and standards.
Faisal said several non-member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, including Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the Philippines, had also sought Malaysia’s guidance in developing Muslim-friendly tourism standards.
He added that growing international interest reflected the universal appeal of values underpinning Muslim-friendly tourism, including cleanliness, modesty, safety, comfort and respect for diverse cultural needs.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents president Nigel Wong said the tourism industry should continue broadening its Muslim-friendly travel ecosystem rather than limiting offerings to religious considerations alone.
“Malaysia’s multicultural make-up already gives it an edge,” The Star reported him saying.
Wong noted that Muslim travellers, like other international tourists, were also seeking authentic cultural experiences while maintaining access to essential religious conveniences.
He highlighted Malaysia’s growing role as a regional umrah transit hub, particularly through Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which handles substantial pilgrim traffic en route to Saudi Arabia.
According to Wong, the country could further capitalise on this niche market by encouraging transit passengers to extend their stay through curated stopover tourism packages in Kuala Lumpur.
He also revealed that MATTA had collaborated with several tourism associations to host European Muslim tour operators on familiarisation trips aimed at converting industry interest into confirmed travel bookings.
“Getting potential trade buyers to experience the country first hand greatly improves the chances of turning interest into actual bookings,” he said.
Malaysia recorded 9.7 million Muslim tourist arrivals last year, reinforcing the country’s growing influence within the expanding global halal travel market.
The MFAR framework currently covers sectors ranging from accommodation, travel agencies and spas to medical facilities, transport hubs, shopping centres, theme parks, highway rest areas and convention centres, providing Muslim travellers with additional confidence and assurance when visiting the country. - May 28, 2026
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