KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026: International visitors arriving in Malaysia for the Global Halal Summit 2026 (GHaS) and in search of trade opportunities in the Halal sector may find a new opportunity worth exploring with Malaysia –– Muslim-friendly travel.
For 11 consecutive years, Malaysia has been ranked No. 1 in the world for Muslim-friendly travel ahead of destinations such as Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. At this year’s GHaS, the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC), an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, is stepping up its presence to promote the framework it developed –– the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) –– to support a structured
Muslim-friendly tourism ecosystem globally
From Domestic Service to Global Appeal
The reason behind Malaysia’s successful position is an ecosystem built first for its people –– a Muslim-majority population whose everyday needs include access to Halal food and facilities for daily prayers.
In Malaysia, prayer facilities are widely available in shopping malls, airports, highway rest areas, hotels and public attractions. Halal food is accessible from neighbourhood restaurants to international brands and fine dining establishments. Muslim-friendly considerations such as modesty, privacy and family needs are also familiar elements of everyday life.
Over time, infrastructure and services developed to serve Malaysians became an advantage for Muslim travellers from around the world. In 2025, Malaysia recorded 9.7 million Muslim visitor arrivals, with the country targeting 15.2 million by 2030.
Building Assurance Across the Tourism Experience
Established in 2009, ITC is mandated to develop the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality ecosystem through research, training and capacity building, industry development, standards development and knowledge exchange.
MFAR is one of the mechanisms through which ITC translates this mandate into a practical framework for the tourism industry. It provides businesses with a structured pathway to understand and meet the needs of Muslim travellers, while giving travellers greater assurance when choosing tourism services.
The framework was developed through collaboration with Malaysia’s Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM), Department of Standards, academic researchers and industry stakeholders. It brings together Halal requirements with wider tourism considerations such as prayer facilities, cleanliness, services, recreational activities and sustainability.
Industry players from hotels and travel agencies to spa and wellness centres are adopting the guidelines to respond more effectively to Muslim travellers. The result is an environment that integrates the faith-based requirements of Muslim travellers with alaysia’s wider tourism offerings.
Under ITC’s guidance, hotels can provide Halal dining options and appropriate facilities that support privacy and gender considerations; spa centres can provide private treatment rooms and same-gender therapists; while travel agents can design itineraries that take prayer times, family needs and local cultural experiences into consideration.
While MFAR incorporates the Malaysian Standard MS 2610 and Halal certification requirements administered by JAKIM, it addresses a broader tourism experience. Halal compliance is an important foundation, particularly for tourism establishments providing food and beverage services, but it is one part of the wider Muslim-friendly framework.
MFAR also provides a progressive recognition pathway. Businesses can enter the framework at Silver level and advance to Gold or Platinum as they meet more comprehensive criteria.
The response from the industry has been encouraging, says Mohammad Faisal Abu Suaib Khan, Director General, ITC.
“Currently, we have more than 500 businesses and services registered as Muslim-friendly in Malaysia, including 390 tourist guides, 73 hotels, 39 travel agents and 11 spa centres.”
International hotel brands such as ParkRoyal, Marriott, Shangri-La, Ibis, Le Meridien, Westin, Pullman, Wyndham, DoubleTree by Hilton and Mövenpick have also received MFAR recognition in Malaysia.
MFAR Goes Global
At this year’s summit, where the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) and Halal Certification Bodies Convention (HCBC) are being organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and JAKIM respectively, ITC has taken on a strategic partnership role to advance the adoption of MFAR globally.
For Halal Certification Bodies, MFAR provides an opportunity to extend the assurance already established through Halal certification into the wider tourism experience. As more Muslim travellers seek reliable information about
accommodation, dining, wellness and tourism services, there is growing value in having recognised frameworks that businesses can work towards.
Two Halal certification bodies recognised by JAKIM, namely FAMBRAS Halal of Brazil and Korea Muslim Federation, have signed Memorandums of Understanding with ITC to support the adoption of MFAR in their respective countries.
| No. | LIST OF PARTNERSHIPS | SIGNATORIES |
|---|---|---|
| MOU SIGNED AT THE GHaS NIGHT | ||
| 1 | Development of the Muslim-Friendly Ecosystem in Brazil between Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and FAMBRAS Halal Certificação Ltda (FAMBRAS Halal) | Mr. Mohammad Faisal Abu Suaib Khan, Director-General, Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) Mr. Nizar Al Ghandour Internal Relations Director, FAMBRAS Halal |
| 2 | Development of the Muslim-Friendly Ecosystem in South Korea between Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and Korea Muslim Federation (KMF) | Mr. Mohammad Faisal Abu Suaib Khan, Director-General, Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC)Mr. Kim Dong-Eok, President of Korea Muslim Federation |
The partnerships will see the Halal certification bodies promote MFAR through awareness seminars, training and joint promotions with ITC.
They are not the only ones. Countries such as Russia, Taiwan and Indonesia have also shown interest, with ITC guiding the adoption of MFAR to their local environments.
For ITC, the international interest reflects the potential for Muslim-friendly tourism to become a more structured component of the wider Halal economy, connecting Halal assurance with hospitality, travel, wellness and other tourism services.
Looking ahead, ITC aims to develop a global MFAR database of recognised Muslim-friendly tourism service providers.
“This can serve as a practical reference for Muslim travellers when planning trips and making decisions about accommodation, activities and other tourism services,” says Mohammad Faisal.
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About Islamic Tourism Centre
Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) is an entity under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia, tasked to develop the Islamic Tourism segment for Malaysia. It advocates for Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality (MFTH) by offering research and market intelligence, training, industry development consultation, services standards and recognition, and information exchange.
For further details, kindly email comms@itc.gov.my or the following individuals:
Anis Ramli, Corporate Communications Unit, ITC at 012 321 9137
Siti Rahmah Lehan, Corporate Communications Unit, ITC at 012 9070 993
Nurin Sufia Muazamir, Corporate Communications Unit, ITC at 019 8013 400
Aliya Syazwani, Corporate Communications Unit, ITC at 014 236 0038
