Malaysia has maintained its top position on the list of the world's best halal tourism destinations, according to the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2022 report.
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia share the second position, notes the index launched by U.S. payment system company Mastercard and Singaporean halal travel web property Crescentrating.
Singapore continues to be the top halal tourism destination among non-member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, followed by Thailand and the United Kingdom, the document points out.
Malaysia thus retains its position as the top GMTI destination that it has held since the index's launch in 2015.
International Muslim traveler arrivals reached 160 million in 2019, and after the 2020 and 2021 disruptions, it’s expected that Muslim traveler arrivals to reach 140 million in 2023 before returning to the 2019 level at 160 million in 2024.
The pre-pandemic projection of 230 million arrivals by 2026 will now be reached in 2028 with estimated spending of US$225 billion.
The Global Muslim Travel Index is an annual report that takes stock of halal tourism around the world, its development and potential growth.
The GMTI is based on four criteria, namely ease of access to the destination country, communication, environment, and services provided.