For the second straight year, The Philippines has been recognized as an Emerging Muslim-friendly non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destination in the 2024 Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI).
The citation was announced at the Halal in Travel Global Summit held recently in Singapore.
The Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) is an annual report benchmarking destinations in the Muslim travel market.
In its 2024 results, the GMTI described the Philippines as an “Emerging Muslim-friendly non-OIC Destination “focusing on building capacity to welcome tourists through various initiatives. Theseinclude Halal food across the destination and integrating Muslim-Friendly amenities at major touristspots. Tourism authorities have placed Halal tourism high on their priority agenda, evidenced by theiraction to enhance the Halal tourism portfolio and raise awareness among tourism stakeholders aboutthe values and practices important to Muslim travelers.”
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco was elated with the recent citation noting that this is an affirmation of the Marcos Administration’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity.
“The Philippine Department of Tourism recognizes the significance and potential of Halal Tourism incontributing to the growth and diversity of our tourism industry. As a country known for its warmhospitality, rich cultural heritage, and breathtaking natural attractions, catering to the needs ofMuslim travelers through the development of Halal Tourism is crucial in ensuring that we raise ourcompetitiveness in the global tourism market,” Frasco said.
“Halal Tourism presents a rapidly growing market segment.”
“Halal Tourism presents a rapidly growing market segment. By prioritizing this, we not onlydemonstrate our commitment to inclusivity and cultural sensitivity but also open up opportunities toattract more Muslim travelers from around the world, while expanding markets for our tourismstakeholders and creating more livelihood and employment for our fellow Filipinos,” the tourism chief added.
The summit coincided with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Brunei Darussalam, where the tourism head inked a tourism cooperation agreement with her counterpart in a bid to further develop Halal Tourism in the Philippines, among others.
To recall, Halal Tourism is a priority product under the recently approved National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023 to 2028.
On the sidelines of the recently held Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) 2024 attended by Frasco, the DOT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, committing all their properties to be Muslim-friendly.
The Philippines also signed an MOU with the State of Qatar in April this year, aiming at strengthening cooperation, particularly in the aspects of mutual development and growth of tourism and business events.
“Adapting to the changing needs of Muslim travelers by offering Halal-friendly accommodations, dining options, prayer facilities, and other services not only enhances the overall visitor experiencebut also showcases our respect for diverse cultural and religious practices. This, in turn, fostersgoodwill and strengthens our reputation as a welcoming and inclusive travel destination,” she stressed.
According to DOT data, arrivals from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC Middle East) have posted a recovery of 115 percent.
In 2019, arrivals from the Middle East region accounted for 68,562. Visitor arrivals from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reached 43,748, followed by UAE with 10,192 tourists, and Kuwait with 6,309. Meanwhile, tourists from Bahrain totaled 3,296, while Oman and Qatar had 2,526 and 2,491 visitors, respectively.
In 2023, foreign tourist arrivals from the GCC have overtaken the 2019 figures, reaching 79,041 and posting a 115.28 percent recovery rate. UAE led the surge of tourist arrivals to the Philippines with 33,769, followed by Saudi Arabia (19,311), Qatar (10,438), Kuwait (6,915), Bahrain (5,886), and Oman (2,695).
“Among non-OIC destinations, the Philippines has steadily increased its appeal to Muslim tourists bystrategically developing their Halal Tourism portfolio, enhancing halal accreditation of hotels andrestaurants, and conducting Halal awareness orientations.”
Meanwhile, according to Mastercard, “the Philippines recorded an increase in its score oncommunications compared to 2023. Among non-OIC destinations, the Philippines has steadilyincreased its appeal to Muslim tourists by strategically developing their Halal Tourism portfolio, enhancing halal accreditation of hotels and restaurants, and conducting Halal awarenessorientations. This effort builds on their achievement of winning the Emerging Muslim-friendlyDestination of the Year award in last year’s Halal in Travel Global Summit, based on GMTI 2023 results.”
Meanwhile, Fazal Bahardeen, Founder & CEO of CrescentRating, also added: “It is alsopositive to see the Philippines continue to improve its score, which demonstrates the unwaveringcommitment of the Department of Tourism to bolstering Muslim-friendly tourism and advancing thedestination’s appeal.”
According to the joint report of Mastercard and CrescentRating, the Muslim population is projected to increase from 2.12 billion in 2024.
Developed jointly by card services corporation Mastercard and leading Halal travel authority in 2011 CrescentRating, “GMTI, now in its ninth year, analyzes data across 145 destinations usingthe ACES framework, built around metrics on Access, Communication, Environment, and Services. Over time, the criteria have evolved to keep pace with the changing needs of Muslim travelers.”
