ITC Gears Up Industry Players For Visit Malaysia 2026 With Muslim-Friendly Tourism And Hospitality Awareness Workshop
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 24 OCTOBER 2023: The Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) kickstarted the development of seamless Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) travel packages, by hosting a comprehensive ‘Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) Awareness Workshop’ at the Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur today. This event was strategically designed to share with tourism industry players on the essence of MFTH and the vast potential it holds, drawing participation from an impressive assembly of over 90 industry professionals, including hoteliers, tourist guides, and travel agents.
“The core objective of the MFTH awareness workshop is to cultivate a comprehensive understanding among industry professionals regarding the unique requirements of the burgeoning Muslim tourist market. This knowledge equips them to proactively cater to the evolving needs of this expanding demographic, subsequently contributing to Malaysia’s overall tourism success,” said ITC’s Director-General, Nizran Noordin.
The workshop featured an insightful briefing on Malaysia’s Halal certification in Malaysia, delivered by the Halal Management Division of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM). This enlightening session delved into the significance of Halal practices and how they seamlessly integrate with the MFTH products and services, creating an appealing experience for Muslim travellers.
The workshop was capped off with talks on ITC’s recognition programmes – Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide (MFTG) and Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) which set the standards and guidelines for the industry. This was followed by a session with Tourism Malaysia where participants were guided on the development of Muslim-friendly travel packages. The Muslim tourist landscape is rapidly on the rise with its numbers displaying exceptionally promising growth in the years ahead. According to Nizran, “In the second quarter of 2023, Muslim tourist arrivals in Malaysia reached a positive number of 2.13 million with a receipt of RM7.14 billion. This reflects the demand for Muslim-friendly products and services of Muslim tourists when they travel to Malaysia.”
It is forecasted that in 2028 the number of global Muslim tourist arrivals will reach 230 million with a total expenditure of USD 225 billion (RM 987 billion).
The workshop today was part of ITC’s efforts to prepare tourism industry players for Visit Malaysia 2026 and the growing demand for travel choices by the Muslim tourist market. While Malaysia has firmly established itself as a renowned Muslim-friendly destination, it is now setting its sights on expanding its horizons to new markets, including the Muslim tourist market in China. “For them, travelling to a Muslim-friendly destination like Malaysia, is an exciting notion, as they can freely consume easily found halal food and enjoy Islamic celebrations in a warm and welcoming environment. This is a unique selling proposition that Malaysia can offer,” he added.
Nizran hoped that the workshop today would be an eye-opener for industry players as they head into preparing for Visit Malaysia 2026.
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