Malaysia has maintained its first position in the list of the best halal tourism destinations in the world, according to the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2022 report.
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia are tied for the second position, according to an index compiled by US-based payment processor Mastercard and Singapore-based halal internet travel company Crescentrating.
Singapore continues to be the top non-OIC halal tourism destination, followed by Thailand and the United Kingdom, the paper notes.
Malaysia thus maintains the leading GMTI destination it has held since the launch of the index in 2015.
In 2019, the number of arrivals of international Muslim travelers reached 160 million, and after disruptions in 2020 and 2021, the number of arrivals of Muslim travelers is expected to reach 140 million in 2023, before returning to the 2019 level of 160 million in 2024.
The pre-pandemic forecast of 230 million arrivals by 2026 will now be reached in 2028 at an estimated cost of US$225 billion.
The Global Muslim Travel Index is an annual report that summarizes halal tourism worldwide, its development, and potential growth.
The GMTI is based on four criteria, namely: ease of access to the country of destination, communications, environment, and services provided.