KHIVA (Uzbekistan): A holistic approach that prioritises sustainability, resilience and equity is needed to capture the growing and significant Muslim tourism market, says Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman.
The Tourism, Arts, Culture Ministry (Motac) secretary-general said the Islamic tourism sector has grown significantly over recent years, driven by the increasing number of Muslim travellers seeking destinations and services that respect their religious beliefs and practices.
“This is strategically advantageous for OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) member states to satisfy the growing demand for Muslim-friendly products and services, especially in the tourism supply chain.
“We must adopt a holistic approach to Islamic tourism development that prioritises sustainability, resilience and equity, particularly in the face of global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, geopolitical challenges and socio-economic inequalities,” he said in reading the national statement at the 12th Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM12) here on Sunday.
Roslan led the ministry’s delegation to the ICTM12, organised by the OIC, held from May 31 to Sunday.
The conference included two working sessions.
Roslan said Malaysia has developed the National Tourism Policy (NTP) 2020-2030, which advocates inclusivity, sustainability, innovation and digitisation in the transformation of the country’s tourism sector, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Goals (UNSDGs).
“This policy serves as a guide and basis for planning the development of the tourism industry to optimise its potential as one of the key economic drivers,” he added.
He said that Malaysia has identified the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) segment as one of the crucial drivers of economic progress that could be further explored.
“Since 2009, Malaysia has been actively expanding and enhancing its MFTH segment.
“In 2023, Malaysia received over 4.5 million Muslim international arrivals and managed to retain its top position as the premier destination for Muslim travellers.
“This marks the ninth time Malaysia has maintained its top spot in the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2024,” Roslan added.
During the ICTM12 senior official meetings presentation, Roslan said the tourism industry in Malaysia has seen gradual growth since the reopening of the country’s borders on April 1, 2022, post Covid-19 pandemic.
“According to the latest data recorded, a total of 5.8 million tourist arrivals were identified in the first quarter of 2024, an increase of 32.5% compared to the first quarter of 2023.
“Based on this positive development, Malaysia targets the arrival of 27.3 million foreign tourists to Malaysia with a total expenditure of RM102.7bil for the year 2024.
“This is in line with the UN World Tourism Barometer prediction of tourism performance post-pandemic, following a strong rebound that the industry has shown in 2023,” he added.
He said air connectivity remains one of the main priorities that can increase tourist arrivals in a particular destination.
Based on the Official Airline Guide (OAG) data, Roslan said Malaysia will have 31.6 million international flight seats in 2024, which is significantly lower than Singapore, which has 31.6% more flight seats than Malaysia.
“It is imperative that Malaysia capitalise on Singapore’s air connectivity to increase arrivals to the country.
“This can be done through multi-destination offerings either via Singapore-Malaysia’s international airports, such as KLIA, Penang, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching, or via Singapore-Johor land borders,” he added.
