Mastercard EMEA - Global Muslim Travel Index 2022

THE NEXT PHASE OF DEMOGRAPHICS & DATA SOURCES &
FOREWORD GMTI 2022 OVERVIEW GMTI 2022 RESULTS

MUSLIM TRAVEL TRAVEL MARKET ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Mastercard-CrescentRating
GLOBAL
MUSLIM
TRAVEL
INDEX
2022
#GMTI2022 June 2022
MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 1 / 60
TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 FOREWORD................................................................................................................................................................................................03
02 CHARTING THE PATH FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF MUSLIM TRAVEL.............................................07
03 MUSLIM DEMOGRAPHICS & TRAVEL MARKET...................................................................................................13
04 GMTI 2022 OVERVIEW.................................................................................................................................................................23
05 GMTI 2022 RESULTS......................................................................................................................................................................28
06 DATA SOURCES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................................44

01
FOREWORD

Welcome to the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global this year. Among the non-OIC destination, the top 4
Muslim Travel (GMTI) 2022 report. As we look forward remains the same (Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom
to a new beginning in the travel & tourism sector, & Thailand).
GMTI 2022 continues to rank 138 destinations on how
prepared they are to leverage the Muslim travel market International Muslim traveler arrivals reached 160
to accelerate recovery. In addition, this year’s report million in 2019. After the disruption in 2020 and 2021,
also looks at some of the key drivers that will propel the we project that Muslim traveler arrivals will reach 140
Halal travel market forward in its next development million in 2023 and get back to the 2019 level of 160
phase. million in 2024. The pre-pandemic projection of 230
million arrivals by 2026 will now be reached in 2028
Gen Z, Millennials, and women are the most with an estimated expenditure of USD 225 Billion. This
influential and growing demographic within the recovery process is fragile and could be disrupted by
Muslim population. 70% of the estimated population the continuing war in Ukraine, fuel price increases, and
of 2 billion are under 40 years with Gen Z & Millennials other health threats such as the emerging monkeypox
representing 50% of the population. In addition, or COVID-19 variants.
women travelers represent one of the fastest-growing
segments within the Muslim travel market. They However, we stay optimistic that economies will
make up around 45% of the global Muslim arrivals. recover soon from the pandemic’s damage to lives
Given these factors, we examine the impact of the and livelihoods. Moreover, as the travel industry gears
pandemic on the Halal Travel 2.0 drivers identified in up for quarantine-free international travel, we believe
the GMTI 2019 report and take an in-depth look at these the Muslim travel sector could contribute immensely
demographics that will shape the future growth and to accelerating the recovery.
narrative of this segment.
We trust the insights of the GMTI 2022 report will
As social impact activities, sustainability, and enable all travel and tourism stakeholders to seize the
meaningful travel are key growing themes in the post- opportunities in the dynamic Muslim travel sector with
pandemic era; we have updated the ACES criteria a better understanding of the Halal tourism landscape.
model to reflect these trends with the addition of With our long-standing partner Mastercard, we are
Sustainability metrics. committed to enabling the sustainable growth of this Fazal Bahardeen
sector and supporting the travel industry’s pivotal role Founder & CEO
As for the GMTI 2022 rankings, Malaysia continues in bringing communities together and embracing CrescentRating
its top ranking, closely followed by Turkey, Saudi diversity, equity and inclusion. HalalTrip
Arabia, and Indonesia in joint 2nd position. Uzbekistan
continues its impressive growth to reach 9th position

A travel boom is on the horizon, after what has been a see the world, but rather, they want to experience the
turbulent two years for the industry. world.
Tourists are taking to the skies again, as countries At Mastercard, we believe that for the travel industry
relax travel restrictions and reopen borders. There are to recover sustainably, there is a need to ensure all
signs to show that travel is on the verge of a comeback players in this field can find opportunities for success.
as people look to reconnect, as well as explore new This requires considering what travelers are looking for,
destinations and create new experiences. understanding how people’s habits have evolved over
the last two years, and adapting to technology trends
Research from the Mastercard Economics Institute to ensure new demands are being met. With the rise
shows that for the first time since the pandemic, global of environmental sustainability, businesses must look
leisure and business flight bookings have surpassed beyond developing personalized travel experiences,
pre-pandemic levels. In Asia Pacific, if current flight and consider how they may incorporate sustainability
trends continue, the region will see an estimated 430 in their offerings.
million more passengers than the year prior, with pent-
up demand and savings likely to help fuel this growth. Asia Pacific is renowned for its popularity with
Muslim travelers. As queues and crowds once again
As we navigate the new economy in a less restricted, become a familiar sight at airports, it is important to
post-vaccine environment, Mastercard’s research finds look at the changing nature of travel, and the shifts in
travelers spending more money on experiences, rather the demographics of Muslim travelers due to the rising
than on things when in destination. This trend is also influence of Gen Z, Millennials, and women.
being witnessed in Asia, where Singapore recorded
one of the highest international tourist spends on in- Mastercard is deeply committed to supporting a full
destination experiences. Other markets across the and resilient recovery of global travel across all travelers’
region, however, revealed a more mixed picture, with profiles. That’s why we continually collaborate with our
low levels of inbound tourism seen in Indonesia and partners – HalalTrip and CrescentRating – to develop
South Korea, whose borders opened in April this year. insights for businesses and governments, and to build Safdar Khan
new capabilities to offer safe, seamless, and exciting Division President
As travel starts to take off again, it appears to have travel experiences. Southeast Asia
taken on a new meaning – people don’t just want to Mastercard

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING REPORTS
Global Muslim Travel

Index (GMTI)
• GMTI 2022
• GMTI 2021
This is the 7th edition of the • GMTI 2019
Mastercard-CrescentRating Global • GMTI 2018
Travel Index. In our eighth year of Consumers • GMTI 2017 Economies
partnership between Mastercard • Muslim Women In Travel 2019 • GMTI 2016 • Ramadan & Eid Lifestyle 2022
• GMTI 2015
and CrescentRating, we continue • Digital Muslim Travel 2018 • Travel Readiness 2020
our commitment to provide in- • Muslim Millennial Travel 2017 • Halal Travel Frontier 2020
depth research and analysis to help • Muslim Business Traveler 2016 • Halal Travel Frontier 2019
all stakeholders make informed • Halal Travel Frontier 2018
choices towards recovery and • Ramadan Travel 2016
growth
Countries Industries
• Indonesia Muslim Travel Index 2019 • Halal Food Lifestyle Indonesia 2021
Download the Reports here • Indonesia Muslim Travel Index 2018 • Halal Food Lifestyle - Singapore 2021
• Japan Muslim Travel Index 2017 • Muslim Travel Shopping Index 2015

02
CHARTING THE PATH FOR
THE NEXT PHASE OF
MUSLIM TRAVEL

HALAL TRAVEL DEVELOPMENT GOALS
GMTI 2019 report introduced the Halal Travel Development Goals, an overarching framework that serves as a blueprint for the travel industry.
As the industry looks at developing the next stage of Halal travel, organizations can use this framework to recognize their strategic role in the
Halal space and play various vital roles in developing the Halal travel ecosystem. In addition, as destinations and service providers continue
making strides in delivering value to the Muslim travel market through such initiatives, most of these goals will be highly relevant to developing
a sustainable ecosystem of Halal travel services.
1 2 3 4 5
INTEGRATION, HERITAGE, EDUCATION, INDUSTRY, WELL-BEING AND

DIVERSITY AND CULTURE AND INSIGHTS AND INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE
FAITH 2009 CONNECTION CAPABILITIES TRADE TOURISM
Enable Muslims to be Connect Muslim Enhance understanding Create new Recognize its
active citizens of the travelers to one among communities. opportunities to responsibility and
global community another, the local Increase academic and increase commerce social impact on
while remaining community, and the industry knowledge to and drive growth travelers, wider
spiritual. heritage and history. increase capabilities of across multiple community and
stakeholders. sectors. environment.

MUSLIM FRIENDLY SERVICES & FACILITIES REMAIN KEY DETERMINANTS

A survey conducted by CrescentRating between September and November 2021 reveals that the essential factor Muslims consider when planning a
trip is the availability of Muslim-friendly services. The survey participants were from Malaysia and Indonesia, two of the top Muslim outbound markets.
Therefore, it is crucial for destinations planning to welcome Muslim tourists to continue accommodating the faith-based requirements of Muslims in
product development. Increasing awareness among travel stakeholders in destinations will make halal-certified restaurants, prayer-designated areas,
and mosques available in major tourist attractions and establishments. This would enable them to foster innovation and forge partnerships to meet new
and different demands.
100 100
80 80
Percentage of Respodants
Percentage of Respodants
60 60
40 40
20 20
0 0
Indonesia Malaysia
Muslim-friendly facilities (Mosque, Halal foods, etc.) Price Accommodations (cleanliness, disinfection, etc.) Safety (environment, health safety, etc.)
Transportation (Bus, subway, etc) Other Conveniences (public facilities, transportation, etc.) Culture Language

GROWING IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL IMPACT ACTIVITIES IN TRAVEL

CrescentRating added “Social Causes” to the “Muslim Traveler Faith-Based Needs 2.0” model in 2019. The importance of giving back to the
community and protecting the environment to conserve natural resources is fundamental to the objectives of the faith. In addition, the lockdown
during the pandemic and the damage it did to the lives and livelihoods has further increased the awareness of being community and socially
conscious even when traveling.
Sustainable and responsible tourism allows for a greater understanding of local cultural, social, and environmental issues, leading to more
meaningful experiences. Younger Muslims are becoming more informed about their role in making sure they participate in businesses offering
eco-friendly excursions, making progress in plastic-free initiatives, and reducing carbon emissions. As such social impact activities will deeply
resonate with this segment of travelers, and they will continue to seek them in their travels to enhance their spirituality further.
NEED TO
HAVE
HALAL SALAATH WATER NO
FOOD (PRAYER) FRIENDLY ISLAMOPHOBIA
SERVICE FACILITIES WASHROOMES
GOOD TO RAMADAN LOCAL
HAVE
SOCIAL IMPACT
(FASTING) MUSLIM
ACTIVITIES
SERVICES & EXPERIENCES
FACILITIES
NICE NO RECREATIONAL
TO HAVE NON-HALAL
ACTIVITIES
SPACES WITH
PRIVACY

HALAL TRAVEL 2.0 AFTER THE DISRUPTION
In the GMTI 2019 report, we identified the next phase of Halal Travel - Halal Travel 2.0, which will be enabled by technologies such as Artificial
Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR). The key drivers identified were Technology, Social Activism, Demographics,
and Environment. These will remain the key growth drivers as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic disruption. However, the accelerated
deployment of technology will continue to change the way travelers experience trip planning, during and after completing the trip. When it comes
to social activism, there will be a growing trend to make trips more meaningful and responsible through sustainable measures which are mindful
of the environment, community, and local economy.
TECHHNOLOGY
TECH-ENABLED
TRAVEL
KEY
RESPONSIBLE AND
SOCIAL ACTIVISM ACCESSIBLE TOURISM
DR
IVE
RS
HALAL TRAVEL 1.0 HALAL TRAVEL 2.0
2009 2014 2018 2019 2022
EMERGENCE OF THE HALAL TRAVEL MARKET TRAVEL INDUSTRY EMBRACING HALAL TRAVEL
RS
IVE
DEMOGRAPHICS MEANINGFUL
DR
EXPERIENCES
KEY
ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY

RECURRING THEMES IN KEY TRAVEL TRENDS
In addition to the Halal Travel, 2.0 drivers discussed earlier, some key developing themes
are emerging due to the behavior changes that the pandemic has brought about. These
revolve around tech deployment, flexibility in travel planning, creating an environment for
meaningful travel, ensuring that the destination is safe.
FLEXIBILITY MEANINGFULNESS
The last two years have highlighted the need to allow Meaningful travel in the Muslim travel space is
much greater flexibility for travelers in their travel gaining momentum, as younger Muslim are looking
planning. Another critical change that the pandemic for personal development while exploring the world.
has brought about is the acceptance by businesses that Destinations that can offer such unique experiences
remote working is here to stay. The travel industry could will be able to tap into this growth segment.
facilitate these trends to accelerate economic recovery.
Flexible
cancellation Personal
Eliminating
policies development
minimum length-of-
REASSURANCE stay requirements Reconnecting with TECH-
Islamic heritage
As a safe health Remote work visas ADVANCEMENT
environment will and environments to State-of-the-art tech
continue to be facilitate longer stays Giving back to is a catalyst in the
a crucial travel the community development of travel
enabler, having
services. The health
robust plans Preventive measures
safety concerns the
for Prevention, to minimize the impact
pandemic brought
Detection and of current and future Digital vaccine to the forefront have
Control will health threats. passports changed some of the
be of utmost
Clear communication travelers’ behaviors.
importance Real-time
lines with relevant They are now on the
to provide the travel
authorities to react in lookout for real-time
travelers the notifications
real-time to any health updates on travel-
assurance they
emergencies. related information.
are looking for.
Contactless Flexible payments
& Flexible that enable travel
Clear SOPs to control payments are another area of
any health situations GROWING and services importance.
once detected. TRENDS

03
MUSLIM DEMOGRAPHICS
& TRAVEL MARKET

MUSLIM DEMOGRAPHICS IN NUMBERS
PERCENTAGE OF MUSLIM POPULATION

TOTAL MUSLIM TOTAL MUSLIM
POPULATION 2022 POPULATION 2030
2 BILLION 2.3 BILLION ASIA
% OF WORLD % OF WORLD 67% Sub-Saharan Africa 17.9%
POPULATION POPULATION BY 2030
+25
North Africa 12.0%
+27 Europe 2.7%

Other 0.4%
48
Eastern Asia 1.5%

Central Asia 3.4%
IN 28 COUNTRIES
Southeastern Asia
LIVE IN MUSLIM
Southern Asia
IN
+200
Western Asia
COUNTRIES MUSLIM POPULATION
35.6%
13.8%
12.7%
POPULATION BETWEEN
COUNTRIES
+50% 50% and 10% ASIA
GEN ALFA:
21.5% 32.3%.... G20
FEMALES 70% GEN Z: 31.4%.... SAARC
49.2% 1.46
21.1%.... Arab League
MEDIAN
AGE
UNDER
40 27.2% BILLION
13.8%.... ASEAN
5.9%...... OECD
MALES 25 YEARS MILLENNIALS:

4.5%...... CIS
50.8% 22.9%
2.6%...... GCC
YEARS 1.2%...... G7
1.1%...... EU

GROWTH OF THE “UNDER 40 YEARS” MUSLIM POPULATION
500 90%
THE UNDER 40 POPULATION 450 80%

WILL GROW FROM 400 70%
1.46 BILLION IN 2022 350 60%
TO 1.6 BILLION 300 50%
BY 2030 250 40%
200 30%
150 20%
100 20%
50 10%
THE PERCENTAGE OF UNDER
0 0%
40 POPULATION WILL GO 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
FROM 71.7% IN 2022
TO 69.2% IN 2030 Less than 10 10 to 19 20 - 29 30 - 39 Percentage of Population under 40
THE POPULATION BETWEEN

10 YEARS THE KEY GROUP BETWEEN 20 AND 25 YEAR, WHO WILL POTENTIALLY ENTER THE
TO19 YEARS WORKFORCE, WILL GROW FROM CURRENT 165 MILLION TO
WILL BE THE FASTEST
GROWING GROUP LEADING
181 MILLION BY 2030
UP TO 2030.

THREE KEY DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WILL DRIVE HALAL TRAVEL 2.0
MUSLIM MILLENNIAL TRAVELERS MUSLIM WOMEN TRAVELERS GEN Z TRAVELERS
Muslim Millennial Travelers (MMTs) are a subset of Muslim Women In Travel (MWIT), a subset of the Gen Zs, the generation that grew up with technology, is
Millennial travelers that are well-educated, tech-savvy, women traveler population, one of the fastest-growing an inherently realistic and inquisitive subset of travelers.
and often put in more time and effort to conduct segments within the travel market. Being active They are naturally drawn to travel, partly to satisfy their
comprehensive research before making travel contributors to society, a better facilitation of their curiosity due to the constant overload of information
arrangements. Within these few years, this group will travel needs can further extend their potential. right at their fingertips. This generation is heavily
be entering their peak earning, spending, and traveling reliant on their gadgets in going about their daily lives.
life stage. It is thus critical to gain deeper insights on Most women travel with their families and take charge Stakeholders must engage them on all social platforms
their travel motivations and decision-making processes. of the trip planning. Therefore, marketers should to capture their attention.
take a deep dive into MWIT’s intrinsic and extrinsic
motivations to efficiently realize their potential.

UNDERSTANDING THE PAIN POINTS OF MUSLIM WOMEN TRAVELERS
Women travelers represent one of the fastest-growing segments

MWIT P.A.I.N.S MODEL
within the Muslim travel market. They make up around 45% of the
global Muslim arrivals. That translates to around 72 million Muslim
women travelers in 2019. Solo and women group travel was a growth
sector pre-COVID and this is expected to continue as travel restarts.
An earlier study by Mastercard- & CrescentRating indicated Muslim

women travelers exert considerable influence in trip planning
regardless of the group setting they are in. Muslim women travelers PRIVACY
are most influential in making travel decisions when their journeys
involve their family and spouse. In this environment - as daughters,
mothers or spouses in the family - they display almost twice as much
influence in trip planning compared to when traveling with others
The P.A.I.N.S - Privacy, Amenities, Identity, Networks & Safety - model

identified in the Mastercard-CrescentRating Muslim Women in Travel
(MWIT) 2019 report pinpoint unique concerns that stakeholders should
address.
Privacy/modesty is a considerable concern for Muslim women, leading

them to avoid facilities that have dress code restrictions or do not
provide adequate privacy. NETWORKS IDENTITY AMENITIES
MWIT further prefer amenities that take into account their needs, such
as women-only prayer places, child-friendly services, etc.
In addition, the identity of being a Muslim woman brings with it a bias

that MWITS possibly have to overcome in destinations or facilities.
On the part of networking, there exists a void in information that is

available for MWIT to be able to connect with local communities that
have shared interests.
Safety is another significant concern since identifying as a Muslim can

attract islamophobic hate crimes in some places.
SAFETY

MUSLIM MILLENNIALS WILL STILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY THE 3As
With 23% of the global Muslim population being

Millennials, they are the other segment exertinga
considerable influence on shaping the next phase of Recommend
Muslim Travel. Muslim-friendly Real-time
amenities to Use sharing of
others online prayer images &
The Mastercard-HalalTrip Muslim Millennial Travel tools Use public videos
Report revealed that Muslim Millennial Travelers Always
transport
(MMTs) travel patterns could be characterised into 3As; stay
connected Travel
Authentic, Affordable and Accessible. Prefer
free &
Muslim- Find
friendly Average Plan 1-6 easy halal food
Authenticity is primarily shown in MMTs’ preference facilities 5-6 days monts in
online
advance
for self-discovered tourist spots and spontaneous and per trip
Engage
Leave
flexible itineraries instead of arranged tour packages. olnile Spend
with the
community
reviews USD 500-2K Look for
MMTs are also cost-conscious travelers, seeking Travel per trip Discover unique
for destination experiences
affordable transport, establishments and sightseeing leisure Rely on videos
Book
online
experiences. social media
& online
reviews
Lastly, millennials stay connected, thus choosing Travel
Travel Affordable
with family Importance
experiences with peer reviews and recommendations & friends
2-5 times Follow of safety &
trip
annually influencers & components
accessible online. Search for travelers
security
inspirational
Service providers need to acknowledge the content
unique identity of MMTs as their engagement with

communities online leads them to leave reviews that
are crucial to the success of any business.
Although in the short term, post pandemic behavior

MUSLIM
changes will overshadow the above travel patterns, MILLENNIAL
most of these will still be relevant as travel gets back LEGEND TRAVELER ‘DNA’
to normalcy.
Trip planning
Travel patterns
Behavior while traveling
Faith based needs
Sharing with peers

ADAPTABILITY SETS MUSLIM GEN Z APART
Gen Z represents 27.2% of the global Muslim Population. The percentage of Muslim Gen Zs is higher than the global average of around 26%. This young
dynamic Muslim demographic will continue to drive the growth of the Muslim travel segment.
According to HalalTrip’s Gen Z 2019 report, their travel patterns are close to MMTs’, but adaptability is a unique aspect that sets them apart. Gen Z’s
adaptiveness levels redefine MMTs’ 3As travel pattern. The 4As framework wholly encapsulates what Gen Z travel is all about.
Unlike other generations, the lack of Muslim-friendly facilities does not deter Gen Z travelers from touring a particular destination. Instead, they adapt
their needs to suit their surroundings as what matter more to them is experiencing the destination. e.g., resorting to consuming vegetarian meals or
preparing instant meals when faced with Halal food scarcity, fulfilling the obligation to perform daily prayers in unfamiliar surroundings, etc.
The pandemic impacted their graduations, internships, and entry into the workforce. However, as adaptability is one of their key traits, they will
significantly influence the Muslim travel narrative as they start traveling.
ADAPTABLE AUTHENTIC AFFORDABLE ACCESSIBLE
* SPENDING POWER * EXPERIENCE * MORE ALTERNATIVES * REAL TIME INFORMATION
* CULTURE * INFORMATION * ACCOMMODATION * FACILITATING TRAVEL
* PERSONAL NEEDS * BEING REAL * TRANSPORT

RELIGIOUS & RAMADAN TRAVEL
As highlighted in the recent Mastercard- NORTH EUROPE WEST EUROPE SOUTH

United Kingdom Netherlands EUROPE
CrescentRating Ramadan Lifestyle report, Ireland Germany Albania
Bosnia and
Muslims generally do not prefer to travel Herzegovina
during Ramadan. However, there was some
travel growth in the preceding years pre-
COVID-19. Unfortunately, the pandemic
disrupted that growth.
Travel during Ramadan would again pick

up in the next few years. Some of the key
drivers contributing to the increasing
number of Muslims traveling during
Ramadan are performing Umrah, spending
Ramadan with family, experiencing the
EAST EUROPE
Ramadan culture of another country, and Georgia
extreme weather conditions.
Ramadan Destination Index (RDI), CENTRAL ASIA

published in the Ramadan Lifestyle Report, Uzbekistan
Kyrgyzstan
investigates the impact of the changing
times of Ramadan in almost 70 destinations NORTH AMERICA
United States
that make up the top half of GMTI rankings. Canada
This index aims to provide destinations EAST ASIA
Taiwan
and businesses with efficient strategies to Japan
attract and cater to Muslim travelers during

WEST AFRICA
Ramadan over the next 15 years. Senegal
Sierra Leone
SOUTHEAST ASIA
With the expansion projects of the two Malaysia
Indonesia
holy mosques in Makkah & Madinah
CENTRAL AFRICA
and the deployment of state-of-the-art Cameroon
technology by Saudi Arabia, it will be able to Chad
accommodate more pilgrims in the future. NORTH AFRICA EAST AFRICA WEST ASIA SOUTH ASIA OCEANIA
SOUTH AFRICA Egypt Tanzania Turkey Pakistan New Zealand
As such, Hajj and Umrah travel is set to South Africa Tunisia Kenya UAE Maldives Australia
increase considerably during the next few
years
Top Destinations by Region in the Ramadan Destination Index (2022)

MUSLIM TRAVEL MARKET GROWTH PROJECTIONS
International Muslim traveler arrivals reached 160 million in 2019. As international travel has opened, it is projected that Muslim traveler arrivals
will reach 140 million in 2023 and get back to 160 million in 2024. The pre-pandemic projection of 230 million arrivals by 2026 will now be reached
only in 2028. The estimated expenditure could reach USD 225 Billion by 2028.
This recovery process is fragile and could be disrupted by the continuing war in Ukraine, fuel price increases, and other health threats such as
the emerging monkeypox or COVID-19 variants.
200
150
Arrivals (million)
100
230 million
arrivals
50 USD 225
Billion
0
2028
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Year

TOP 30 OUTBOUND MARKETS
THE TOP 20 OIC OUTBOUND MARKETS -

REPRESENT 84% OF THE TOTAL MUSLIM OUTBOUND MARKET
Nigeria Egypt Jordan Oman Qatar
Bangladesh Algeria Azerbaijan Malaysia UAE
Uzbekistan Morocco Indonesia Kazakhstan Kuwait
Pakistan Iran Tunisia Turkey Saudi Arabia
GDP PER CAPITA

(USD) 2000 3500 4500 12,500
% of the Global 26% 13% 14% 6% 2%

Muslim Population
% of the Global Muslim 11% 14% 10% 17% 32%

outbound market
THE TOP 10 NON-OIC OUTBOUND MARKETS -

REPRESENT 15% OF THE TOTAL MUSLIM OUTBOUND MARKET
India Russia Italy Germany USA

China UK Singapore
France Netherlands
GDP PER CAPITA

(USD) 2000 15,000 35,000 50,000
% of the Global 11% 2% < 1% 1% 1%

Muslim Population
% of the Global Muslim 2% 3% 1% 7% 2%

outbound market

04
GMTI 2022 OVERVIEW

THE MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX

(GMTI) THROUGH THE YEARS
CrescentRating started benchmarking destinations for their Muslim-friendliness in 2011. The report initially called “CrescentRating Annual
Ranking,” transformed into the annual Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) in 2015. The GMTI report was not released
in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The GMTI 2022 is the 7th edition of the report. It brings the most comprehensive research and insights to
help stakeholders better cater to Muslim travelers.
The report has evolved in keeping with

the developments of the market. GMTI’s
core focus is ranking of destinations
based on CrescentRating ACES criteria. 140 138
130 Destinations Destinations
Destinations
100
Destinations
The COVID-19 disruption

60
50 Destinations
Destinations
20
10 Destinations
Destinations Mastercard-CrescentRating
CRaHFT Global Muslim Travel Index
Ranking (GMTI)
CrescentRating
Annual Ranking
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
The first ever Renamed as the The launch of Introduction ACES Introduction of ACES Addition of
ranking was CrescentRating the Mastercard- of the ACES framework the Halal Travel framework Sustainability
launched by Halal Friendly Travel CrescentRating Global framework updated Development updated to the ACES
CrescentRating Ranking. Muslim Travel Index (ACES 1.0) (ACES 2.0) Goals (ACES 3.0) framework

CRESCENTRATING ACES MODEL 3.0
The GMTI criteria are based on the “CrescentRating

ACES model,” formalized in the GMTI 2017 report..
The ACES model encompasses four key areas Rating Global Muslim Travel Index
to enable destinations to attract more Muslim (GMTI) 2022
travelers:
• Ease of Access to the destination

• Internal and External Communication by the
destination
• Environment at the destination
• Services provided by the destination ACCESS COMMUNICATIONS ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
10% weightage 20% weightage 30% weightage 40% weightage
Since 2017, criteria and sub-criteria have evolved
to keep pace with the development of the Muslim
travel market. It also has been taking into account Core Needs
Visa Destination
overall trends in the travel and lifestyle space. This Safety (Halal Food and
Requirements Marketing
year, keeping up with the current trends, the ACES Prayer Facilities)
model has been enhanced to take into account
initiatives by destinations to drive sustainable
tourism. Communication Faith Core Services
Connectivity Proficiency Restrictions (Hotels and Airports)
Each of the key areas is assessed using quantitative
measurements across several criteria. In addition,
each criteria score is derived using several sub-
criteria. More than 50 data sets are used to compile Transport Stakeholder Visitor Unique
the GMTI scores based on the ACES 3.0 model. Infrastructure Awareness Arrivals Experiences
Enabling
Climate
Sustainability

GMTI 2022 CRITERIA OVERVIEW
10%
ACCESS
20%
COMMUNICATIONS
30%
ENVIRONMENT
40%
SERVICES
Access is a key strategic area Communications criteria include The environment is crucial in facilitating Services to Muslim travelers are the
encompassing visa requirements, language proficiency in destinations worry-free travel within the destination. most vital criteria in the index. To attract
air connectivity, and land access to a based on the languages used by The sub-criteria in this category and sustain the growth of Muslim
destination from the top 30 Muslim travelers from the top 30 Muslim includes whether Muslim travelers have travelers, facilities have to cater to the
travel outbound markets. Transport travel outbound markets. Stakeholder a safe space to enjoy their stay free faith-based needs of Muslim travelers
infrastructure in terms of the quality awareness of the Muslim travel market from faith and dress code restrictions. at all key touchpoints, including Halal
of roads, train, and air transportation is another an essential criterion, In addition to general safety, the level of dining facilities and prayer places, the
services is another essential metric which looks at awareness programs hate crimes is considered to ascertain two core needs of Muslim travelers. In
in determining the ease of accessing conducted in the destination through the safety level from the perspective of addition, there is value for destinations
different tourist attractions in a conferences, workshops, seminars, and a Muslim traveler. In addition, Muslim that can offer unique experiences, such
destination. Overall, these are all other educational activities related to arrivals numbers are considered since it as world heritage sites and places of
crucial considerations in selecting a Halal food, Halal travel, is among the most significant indicators significance that showcase local Islamic
destination for travel and in planning of the popularity of a destination among history, heritage, and culture.
a travel itinerary. Muslim consumers, etc. The efforts Muslims. The “enabling climate” takes
in destination marketing targeted at into account the innovation potential
Muslim travelers are the other set of a destination has to evaluate its ability
metrics used in this category. They to keep track and cater quickly to the
include the availability of Muslim current trends. Sustainability is the
Muslim Visitor Guides, media mentions, new criterion in this year’s edition. This
and social media promotion. year this critical measures destinations’
efforts in eliminating plastic waste and
reducing their carbon footprint. It is
envisaged that it will encompass more
sustainable development data sets in
the following years.

138 DESTINATIONS RANKED IN GMTI 2022
The global Muslim population is diverse and

AFRICA ASIA AMERICA EUROPE OCEANIA
geographically distributed. They are now present in
more than 200 countries. Forty-eight countries have Algeria Azerbaijan Argentina Albania Australia
a majority Muslim population, while in 28 countries, Benin Bahrain Aruba Andorra New Zealand
Muslims represent between 10% & 50% of the Bostwana Bangladesh Bahamas Armenia Fiji
Burkina Faso Brunei Bolivia Austria
population.
Cabo Verde Cambodia Brazil Belgium
Considering these factors, the first edition of the Cameroon China Canada Bosnia and Herzegovina
Chad Cyprus Chile Bulgaria
GMTI in 2015 ranked 100 destinations. The number of
Cote d’Ivoire Georgia Colombia Croatia
destinations increased to 130 in 2016 and has been the Egypt Hong Kong Costa Rica Czech Republic
case for the GMTI editions of 2017, 2018, and 2019. In 2021, Eswatini India Cuba Denmark
The GMTI ranked 140 destinations. Some destinations Ethiopia Indonesia Dominican Republic Estonia
have been dropped, and new ones added in the 2021 Gambia Iran Ecuador Finland
ranking. Ghana Japan El Salvador France
Guinea-Bissau Jordan Guam Germany
Given the current situation in Ukraine, GMTI 2022 Kenya Kazakhstan Guatemala Greece
ranking has paused the ranking of Russia and Ukraine. Lesotho Kuwait Honduras Hungary
Malawi Kyrgyzstan Jamaica Iceland
As such this report ranks 138 destinations. These
Mali Laos Mexico Ireland
destinations now account for more than 98% of Muslim Mauritius Lebanon Nicaragua Italy
visitor arrivals. Morocco Malaysia Panama Latvia
Mozambique Maldives Paraguay Lithuania
Namibia Mongolia Peru Luxembourg
Nigeria Nepal Puerto Rico Malta
Rwanda Oman Suriname Montenegro
Senegal Pakistan United States Netherlands
Sierra Leone Philippines Uruguay North Macedonia
South Africa Qatar Norway
Sudan Saudi Arabia Poland
Tanzania Singapore Portugal
Togo South Korea Romania
Tunisia Sri Lanka Serbia
Uganda Taiwan Slovak Republic
Zambia Tajikistan Slovenia
Zimbabwe Thailand Spain
Turkey Sweden
United Arab Emirates Switzerland
Uzbekistan United Kingdom
Vietnam

05
GMTI 2022 RESULTS

FOREWORD MUSLIM TRAVEL TRAVEL MARKET GMTI 2022 OVERVIEW GMTI 2022 RESULTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TOP 20 DESTINATIONS - GMTI 2022 RANKINGS
With the impact of the pandemic easing, the tourism sector is again finding its feet and has begun to show significant
developments in the last few months. The loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, the reopening of international borders,
GMTI 2022 Score

GMTI 2022 Rank
Change vs 2021
and increasing global flight connectivity have allowed eager travelers, who were confined to their homes during the
last two years, the freedom again to travel.
Some destinations have taken advantage of the opportunity by developing stakeholder awareness, capacity building,
and destination marketing to the Muslim outbound markets even during the pandemic.
This year’s ranking reflects those efforts by the destination. Malaysia continues to maintain its top position in the GMTI
2022. However, the gap between Malaysia and other top Muslim-friendly destinations is narrowing.Indonesia, Saudi
Arabia, and Turkey share second place. Uzbekistan has again shown significant improvement in the ranking, climbing 1 0 Malaysia..................................... 74
7 positions to be ranked no. 9 this year. Singapore is still the only non-OIC country to make it to the top 20 of the GMTI 2 2 Indonesia.................................... 70
2022 rankings. 2 1 Saudi Arabia............................... 70
2 0 Turkey........................................ 70
5 0 United Arab Emirates.................. 66
6 0 Qatar.......................................... 64
7 1 Iran ........................................... 63
7 3 Jordan........................................ 63
9 -1 Bahrain....................................... 62
9 -2 Singapore................................... 62
9 7 Uzbekistan.................................. 62
12 0 Brunei......................................... 61
12 0 Egypt.......................................... 61
12 -2 Oman......................................... 61
12 0 Kuwait........................................ 61
12 0 Morocco..................................... 61
17 -1 Pakistan...................................... 60
17 1 Tunisia........................................ 60
19 1 Lebanon .................................... 56
19 1 Maldives..................................... 56

TOP 20 NON-OIC DESTINATIONS - GMTI 2022 RANKINGS
Singapore has again maintained its position in the top of non-OIC destinations at GMTI 2022. This position has been
successfully maintained since the launch of GMTI in 2015. Taiwan also maintained its position in second place followed
GMTI 2022 Score

GMTI 2022 Rank
Change vs 2021
by the United Kingdom (UK) and Thailand which shared the third position in the 2022 GMTI rankings. Spain has
become one of the most promising destinations with a significant increase in the ranking this year. Despite their
2022 Rank
relatively small Muslim population, these destinations have put in a significant amount of effort to attract and welcome
Muslim tourists.
1 0 9 Singapore........................... 62
2 0 27 Taiwan................................ 52
3 1 28 Thailand.............................. 51
3 -1 28 United Kingdom................... 51
5 0 30 Hong Kong.......................... 50
6 1 34 Japan.................................. 45
6 0 34 South Africa........................ 45
8 0 37 Philippines.......................... 43
8 0 37 United States....................... 43
10 2 40 Australia.............................. 42
10 6 40 Spain.................................. 42
12 -4 43 France................................. 41
12 -4 43 Germany............................. 41
12 1 43 Ireland................................. 41
15 -2 46 Bosnia and Herzegovina...... 40
16 3 49 Georgia............................... 39
16 6 49 Italy.................................... 39
16 -3 49 South Korea........................ 39
16 2 49 Tanzania.............................. 39
20 1 53 Kenya................................. 38

GMTI 2022 RANKINGS - REGIONAL ANALYSIS
West Asia and North Africa are the top-ranked regions at GMTI 2022. This is due to these two regions being
mainly composed of predominantly Muslim majority destinations. Western Asia includes Turkey and the
Top 2 Destinatio
GCC countries. The leading destinations in North Africa are Egypt and Morocco. The home of two major
Average GMTI
Halal travel powerhouses, Malaysia and Indonesia, Southeast Asia followed them in third place. Central
2022 Score
Asia, led by Uzbekistan, continues to improve its score. It has the potential to overtake other regions to
Region
become the top region. South America and Central America are among the lowest-ranked destinations
in the GMTI 2022.
Western Asia 58 Turkey/Saudi Arabia

North Africa 58 Egypt/Morocco
Central Asia 54 Uzbekistan/Kazakstan
South Eastern Asia 50 Malaysia/Indonesia
Southern Asia 47 Iran/Pakistan
Eastern Asia 41 Taiwan/Hong Kong
Western Africa 37 Senegal/Sierra Leone
Western Europe 36 France/Germany
Oceania 36 Australia/New Zealand
Southern Europe 35 Albania/Spain
Nothern Europe 33 UK/Irelend
Eastern Africa 33 Tanzania/Kenya
Southern and Middle Africa 32 South Africa/Chad
North America & Carribean 32 USA/Canada
Eastern Europe 28 Czechia/Bulgaria
South America 27 Suriname/Brazil
Central America 26 Costa Rica/Guatemala

GMTI 2022 RANKINGS - ACCESS
Access is one of the critical enablers for tourism development. This metric considers air connectivity, land connectivity, visa requirements, and
transport infrastructure at the destination. There is no change in the land connectivity score this year. This score refers to land connectivity THE TOP 10
from each destination to the top 30 outbound markets for Halal travel. Given the disruption brought on by the pandemic, transportation DESTINATIONS IN THE
ACCESS CATEGORY
infrastructure scores have been kept as the 2019 values with the assumption there were no significant developments in transportation modes
during the COVID-19 period. With the return of international flights to various destinations around the world, the air connectivity score is
updated and refers to the status as of May 2022.
United Arab Emirates
With the reopening of international borders, the visa requirements criterion that was paused in the GMTI 2021 calculation is reintroduced in this Qatar
year’s metrics. In addition, it no longer takes into account the COVID-19 restrictions that were considered in the 2021 ranking. Oman
United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman head the ranking as the most accessible destinations from the top 30 Muslim outbound markets. That Saudi Arabia
is due to their prime locations relative to the top 30 outbound markets and as they serve as significant airline hubs Turkey
Malaysia
Singapore
Jordan
Azerbaijan
Hong Kong

GMTI 2022 RANKINGS - COMMUNICATIONS
Communicating and raising awareness among the stakeholders in the destination is crucial to ensure the needed infrastructure is developed
and Muslim visitors are welcome in the destination. Therefore, this metric is focused on understanding destination marketing efforts to Muslim THE TOP 10
travelers as well as educating the travel stakeholders at the destination. DESTINATIONS IN THE
COMMUNICATIONS
Destination Marketing measures efforts to reach out to the Muslim market via digital online content, Muslim visitor guides, media mentions, CATEGORY
and other marketing outreach activations. Stakeholder Awareness measures Muslim market awareness and the efforts by the destination to
increase the awareness.
This category also covers “Communication Proficiency” based on the language proficiency at Malaysia
the destination of the top 10 languages spoken by Muslim travelers. The top languages spoken Indonesia
by the Muslim visitors are English, Arabic, Bahasa Melayu, Russian, Urdu, Bahasa Indonesia, Tunisia
Turkish, French, Persian and German
Singapore
Malaysia, Indonesia, and Tunisia hold the top positions this year’s communications category. Jordan
UAE
Egypt
Pakistan
Lebanon
Uzbekistan

MUSLIM VISITOR GUIDES - A CRUCIAL COMMUNICATION ASSET
Muslim Visitor Guides or Halal Travel Guides are a crucial

asset for destinations to communicate and showcase
the Muslim-friendly services at the destination. List of Halal-friendly
These could be in the form of dedicated pages on tourist attractions
the destination marketing organization’s website, a around the destination
downloadable pdf guidebook, or a mobile app.
Several destinations have published Muslim Visitor

Guides (MVG) over the last few years. These allow
them to highlight the facilities and, more importantly,
indicate to Muslim travelers that they are welcome in Icon to indicate
the destination. nearest prayer place
for ease of reference
Some of the destinations that have published MVGs
during the last few years included South Africa, South
Korea, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore,
to name a few.
More recently, New York City & Co published the Halal

Travel Guide to New York City. This is the first official
Muslim visitor guide launched by a US destination List of restaurants/
marketing organization. dining establishments
serving halal food
within the destination
List of the closest

prayer places
available within
the area

GMTI 2021 RANKINGS - ENVIRONMENT
The Environment category evaluates the comfort, safety, and ease of faith practices for Muslim travelers while traveling. These include any dress
code restrictions and hate crimes. In addition, Enabling climate provides an overview of technological developments and innovations that will THE TOP 10
support the growth of tourism facilities at the destination. As for the Visitor arrivals, 2019 visitor arrival data is used for the metrics. DESTINATIONS IN
THE ENVIRONMENT
With the increasing awareness and interest of tourists in protecting the environment, this year, the new category “Sustainability” is introduced CATEGORY
to the ACES framework. Sustainability considers carbon emissions produced during the past year, the percentage of renewable energy used,
and restrictions on the use of single-use plastics in the destinations.
Bahrain
Bahrain, Turkey, and Malaysia are the top three destinations in this years Environment category.
Turkey
Malaysia
Saudi Arabia
UK
Andorra
Singapore
UAE
Italy
Luxembourg

GMTI 2021 RANKINGS - SERVICES
The services category evaluates the availability of core Muslim-friendly services and key touchpoints at the destination. Most services, such as
the restaurant sector, were at a standstill, with forced temporary closures in 2020 and 2021. They are just reopening after a long pause. As such, THE TOP 10
2019 data was taken as the reference point for a few sub-criteria under this category. It is foreseen that GMTI 2023 will be able to capture the DESTINATIONS
actual state of these services reopening after the pandemic IN THE SERVICES
CATEGORY
Indonesia
Turkey
Malaysia
Saudi Arabia
Iran
UAE
Qatar
Egypt
Brunei
Morocco

SERVICE INNOVATION REQUIRED FOR KEY TOUCHPOINT
The CrescentRating Halal Friendly Travel (CRAHFT) PRIORITY - 1

tool assists destinations in prioritizing key touchpoints
for Muslim-friendly services. Pre-pandemic many
destinations were developing services that would
make Muslim travelers’ journey worry-free at these
facilities. As these facilities re-start their services, they
must continue to integrate the faith-based needs of PRIORITY - 3 PRIORITY - 2
Muslim travelers in their development plans.
This tool helps destination maps the Muslim traveler

journey along with key service segments against
the level of importance they place when it comes to
providing Muslim-friendly services:
Priority 1 includes airports and hotels.
Priority 2 includes event venues,

shopping malls and attractions.
Priority 3 includes highway rest areas,

HOME TRANSPORT TRANSPORT ACCOMMODATION DESTINATIONS
planes and railway stations. TERMINALS
Airlines Hotels Religious
Airports (Heritage Sites)
Trains Villas
Railway Leisure
Cruises Stations Resorts (Attractions, Shopping,
Beaches, Nature,
Buses Cruise Apartment B&B Adventure, Live Events)
Terminals
Camping Parks Business
Highway Rest (MICE, Venues)
Areas
Healthcare
(Hospitals, Healthcare
services)

HALAL DINING MARKET DRIVEN BY MILLENNIALS AND GEN X
Easy access to Halal dining options at the destination is

one of the primary metrics used in the ranking. As such,
a deeper understanding of Muslim diners’ behavior will (318) Gen Alfa (13)
help destinations prepare the Halal dining ecosystem Muslim consumer
better. Here are some key insights from the Mastercard- expenditure
(575) Gen Z (76)
CrescentRating Halal Food Lifestyle of Singapore (non-OIC on Halal dining
destination) and Indonesia (OIC destination) report done and delivery in
recently. Singapore (856) Millennials (130)
Millennials and Gen X were the main drivers in the halal

dining segment in Singapore and Indonesia. This is due
to the high population of these two age groups and the
USD 500 (883) Gen X (108)
relatively higher income compared to other age groups.

Million (443) Boomers (64)
Singapore’s domestic Halal dining market is estimated
900
800
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
25
50
75
100
125
150
at USD 500 Million. Local Muslim millennials are the key
driving force behind the growth of this sector. Aged
Per capita annual expenditure (in USD) Total annual expenditure (in Million USD)
between 25 to 40 years, they account for 24% of the local
Singaporean Muslim population. Gen X (41 to 55 years) are
the next highest category representing around 19% of the
local Muslim population. Singapore’s Millennials and Gen
X account for close to 45% of the Halal dining expenditure. (166) Gen Alfa (1.8)
Muslim consumer
Indonesia’s domestic Halal dining market is estimated at expenditure on (271) Gen Z (16.4)
USD 69 Billion. Gen X are the biggest spenders in terms of dining and delivery
per capita spending and total spending, accounting for 30% in Indonesia
of the population. They are followed by millennials, who (342) Millennials (18.6)
account for 28% of the local Muslim population. Indonesia’s
Gen X and Millennials account for close to 60% of the Halal
dining expenditure. USD 69 (399) Gen X (23.5)
The research in these two destinations also found an

increasing interest in international cuisine which led to a
Billion (377) Boomers (8.3)
significant increase in the demand for international halal

500
400
300
200
100
10
20
30
40
food. As the economy re-starts, this sector will continue
Per capita annual expenditure (in USD) Total annual expenditure (in Billion USD)
to provide a huge opportunity to accelerate the domestic
market’s short- to medium-term recovery. Note: Boomers (1946-1964), Gen X (1965-1980), Millennials (1981-1996), Gen Z (1997-2011), Gen Alpha (born after 2011)
Market size is estimated based on CrescentRating’s model

GMTI 2022 RESULTS TABLE
GMTI ACCESS (10%) COMMUNICATION (20%) Environment (30%) Services (40%)

2022 2022 Connectivity Visa Transport Communication Destination Stakeholder Enabling General Faith Sustainability Visitor Halal Prayer Airport Unique Hotel
Rank Score Requirements Infrastructure Proficiency Marketing Awareness Climate Safety Restrictions Arrivals Dining Places Experiences
Albania 36 44 17 78 56 18 12 80 52 76 67 63 22 60 60 33 11 19
Algeria 21 55 24 46 60 72 12 51 37 76 83 27 27 89 100 60 26 25
Andorra 93 29 5 56 84 16 12 5 90 84 100 54 2 20 15 0 10 18
Argentina 117 27 2 64 59 5 12 3 53 76 100 30 2 25 20 0 10 23
Armenia 93 29 34 74 61 26 0 0 34 75 100 42 4 30 25 0 10 19
Aruba 93 29 1 56 80 29 0 0 75 76 100 41 1 20 15 18 10 32
Australia 40 42 12 60 78 64 41 15 84 69 83 27 6 47 30 46 27 32
Austria 76 32 42 56 84 36 12 15 85 54 27 40 8 47 40 9 16 38
Azerbaijan 22 53 54 68 83 19 16 66 47 76 100 36 13 70 90 63 16 36
Bahamas 87 30 2 71 80 59 12 0 65 76 100 39 0 25 15 0 10 22
Bahrain 9 62 31 72 76 72 0 41 66 76 100 35 54 70 100 100 13 44
Bangladesh 22 53 31 57 53 14 12 51 31 76 100 45 2 85 100 89 10 38
Belgium 61 35 37 56 75 30 12 16 78 68 33 34 4 60 50 20 13 27
Benin 68 33 7 66 51 12 0 20 29 76 100 53 7 25 50 33 10 17
Bolivia 135 24 1 77 52 7 0 0 27 68 100 39 0 21 15 0 9 23
Bosnia and Herzegovina 46 40 20 70 47 17 16 31 43 64 67 53 5 55 70 32 17 34
Botswana 93 29 0 80 56 26 4 3 44 84 100 52 1 25 25 0 15 22
Brazil 93 29 7 70 55 4 31 8 51 61 100 32 1 34 15 4 21 23
Brunei 12 61 19 71 72 52 23 43 67 84 100 39 6 90 100 100 10 51
Bulgaria 93 29 26 56 59 12 12 15 59 59 67 51 14 29 20 18 16 25
Burkina Faso 66 34 6 51 46 12 0 40 17 68 100 67 6 25 60 33 10 17
Cabo Verde 135 24 1 76 56 1 0 3 29 76 100 54 1 15 15 0 10 22
Cambodia 76 32 4 70 53 15 20 5 22 76 100 58 2 25 25 39 10 15
Cameroon 61 35 11 42 43 36 0 15 22 68 67 59 2 40 80 33 10 26
Canada 54 37 20 45 77 60 16 37 80 56 67 40 4 47 35 37 23 26
Chad 46 40 14 46 35 23 0 30 22 68 67 39 17 40 60 93 10 23
Chile 93 29 2 62 73 7 0 15 62 76 100 36 0 50 15 0 10 24
China 109 28 46 49 69 1 12 5 61 52 17 47 13 30 25 19 66 21
Colombia 123 26 4 79 57 3 12 0 54 67 100 38 1 21 15 7 10 24
Costa Rica 117 27 3 65 58 7 12 0 51 84 100 63 1 17 15 0 10 23
Continued on next page

Cote d’Ivoire 57 36 7 62 61 18 0 20 35 76 100 55 10 40 50 33 10 22

Croatia 61 35 16 56 74 34 41 5 67 74 100 60 5 35 20 6 10 41
Cuba 123 26 4 49 66 7 12 0 42 76 100 37 1 27 15 0 10 23
Cyprus 61 35 18 56 72 34 16 21 77 74 100 54 3 40 40 0 11 23
Czechia 87 30 24 56 68 10 12 0 70 68 100 46 3 25 15 29 14 24
Denmark 109 28 26 56 84 39 12 15 91 50 33 43 4 35 30 9 10 23
Dominican Republic 87 30 3 68 72 1 12 0 37 76 100 36 1 25 15 33 10 23
Ecuador 109 28 1 92 70 20 0 0 41 76 100 44 0 22 15 11 10 23
Egypt 12 61 40 69 75 90 12 51 38 76 100 24 23 85 100 74 55 39
El Salvador 129 25 1 78 62 7 0 0 35 75 100 47 0 20 15 0 10 22
Estonia 93 29 13 56 70 31 12 0 72 70 77 56 1 19 15 28 10 23
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) 129 25 0 65 62 20 0 0 25 76 100 49 1 25 15 0 10 14
Ethiopia 93 29 30 65 48 0 12 20 21 45 100 63 5 30 30 27 10 22
Fiji 68 33 1 69 54 21 16 16 48 77 100 59 1 35 25 30 10 16
Finland 81 31 21 56 88 33 12 5 88 66 67 41 2 25 20 33 10 23
France 43 41 52 56 82 28 12 26 83 41 40 52 24 55 50 46 52 37
Gambia 37 43 6 82 59 4 0 66 12 76 100 52 6 50 100 33 10 23
Georgia 49 39 48 88 62 21 16 15 50 66 100 48 23 35 40 33 11 25
Germany 43 41 52 56 81 31 12 16 79 54 67 24 10 55 50 53 47 35
Ghana 76 32 15 46 49 45 0 15 19 71 100 43 9 30 30 33 10 22
Greece 81 31 42 56 73 24 12 30 65 57 67 49 16 20 25 13 28 29
Guam 87 30 1 49 61 62 0 0 32 76 100 39 0 25 15 33 10 15
Guatemala 117 27 1 75 47 7 12 0 35 76 100 46 1 18 15 17 10 19
Guinea-Bissau 66 34 1 72 52 4 0 30 12 76 100 52 6 44 40 33 10 22
Honduras 129 25 1 72 60 7 0 0 33 76 100 45 0 20 15 0 10 22
Hong Kong 30 50 20 86 96 32 64 5 87 84 83 35 5 55 30 80 11 37
Hungary 123 26 22 56 65 10 12 0 70 49 100 37 5 20 15 20 10 23
Iceland 93 29 7 56 74 0 12 3 84 88 73 50 1 15 15 33 10 22
India 57 36 53 50 71 16 16 31 46 13 67 14 23 43 50 48 54 38
Indonesia 2 70 28 88 69 38 63 80 38 84 100 21 18 95 100 100 36 61

Iran 7 63 51 73 53 30 12 66 52 68 100 20 57 85 100 93 54 35

Ireland 46 40 21 56 74 68 12 5 84 64 100 52 6 30 50 53 11 23
Italy 49 39 40 56 70 11 38 23 75 59 67 68 15 33 20 38 60 38
Jamaica 81 31 3 63 66 68 12 0 41 76 100 41 1 30 25 0 10 23
Japan 34 45 19 63 94 10 41 24 86 84 100 18 6 40 25 67 26 46
Jordan 7 63 60 82 68 95 16 51 42 76 100 50 29 80 100 81 33 38
Kazakhstan 22 53 34 85 60 28 12 40 52 76 83 25 35 81 90 60 18 30
Kenya 53 38 23 68 68 13 12 15 23 70 100 62 4 40 50 47 14 26
Kuwait 12 61 67 65 53 71 0 41 52 84 100 31 42 80 100 93 10 46
Kyrgyzstan 22 53 30 88 46 15 12 50 37 76 100 49 42 75 90 50 16 28
Laos 129 25 7 67 56 14 12 0 14 75 100 42 1 21 15 0 11 14
Latvia 93 29 19 56 71 38 12 0 63 74 43 46 1 25 20 27 10 23
Lebanon 19 56 33 76 51 91 12 41 36 60 100 40 11 70 100 93 10 34
Lesotho 135 24 0 68 33 19 0 0 30 76 100 50 1 15 15 0 10 22
Lithuania 93 29 13 56 73 28 12 0 68 77 100 45 1 25 15 9 10 23
Luxembourg 81 31 25 56 83 70 0 5 79 73 100 61 2 25 20 0 10 22
Malawi 93 29 0 62 45 3 0 15 28 76 100 61 2 40 40 0 10 22
Malaysia 1 74 44 94 81 69 76 75 68 84 100 25 31 95 100 100 10 73
Maldives 19 56 25 71 62 56 26 51 30 76 100 39 3 84 100 67 17 45
Mali 40 42 11 53 53 11 0 50 19 68 100 56 7 64 90 33 24 22
Malta 68 33 10 56 68 62 12 0 66 73 100 53 2 35 20 17 10 23
Mauritius 54 37 13 87 72 13 16 16 59 84 100 68 3 38 30 27 10 27
Mexico 117 27 9 58 65 9 12 0 41 67 100 26 3 30 15 0 33 23
Mongolia 93 29 9 59 51 0 12 5 41 84 100 46 1 30 30 0 10 21
Montenegro 87 30 12 68 63 0 12 20 47 76 100 45 6 30 30 0 10 22
Morocco 12 61 35 85 74 63 12 51 50 76 67 46 42 77 100 87 30 53
Mozambique 68 33 2 68 41 14 0 15 16 76 100 61 1 40 40 33 10 24
Namibia 123 26 3 68 73 12 12 0 28 76 100 49 1 15 15 0 10 22
Nepal 109 28 33 71 45 25 12 15 31 59 100 63 2 25 25 0 10 22
Netherlands 57 36 44 56 96 30 16 16 88 59 67 58 7 49 50 14 11 26

New Zealand 54 37 4 50 74 66 33 21 86 62 83 43 2 52 25 17 12 24
Nicaragua 129 25 1 83 56 20 0 0 18 68 100 45 0 20 15 0 10 23
Nigeria 43 41 22 57 43 60 12 38 18 68 100 30 11 55 60 36 10 32
North Macedonia (formerly 68 33 11 62 56 1 12 30 45 74 83 69 6 40 40 13 10 17
Macedonia)
Norway 93 29 19 56 76 61 12 15 81 54 60 46 3 25 30 0 11 23
Oman 12 61 81 74 82 71 12 51 60 76 100 31 7 80 100 100 11 47
Pakistan 17 60 48 62 62 52 20 81 31 68 100 53 8 90 100 93 25 36
Panama 117 27 3 74 79 10 0 3 49 76 100 46 1 25 15 0 10 23
Paraguay 135 24 1 60 47 7 0 0 43 76 100 50 0 20 15 0 10 22
Peru 123 26 2 64 56 7 12 0 51 76 100 41 1 24 15 0 12 24
Philippines 37 43 21 83 57 41 54 30 38 61 100 30 3 47 50 40 10 32
Poland 109 28 31 56 68 18 12 3 62 48 100 39 5 25 15 22 19 23
Portugal 68 33 13 56 80 20 16 3 73 81 100 42 4 30 20 20 23 29
Puerto Rico 109 28 1 45 68 33 12 0 66 76 100 41 0 25 20 0 10 23
Qatar 6 64 78 88 83 71 12 56 62 84 100 27 4 90 100 100 12 53
Romania 109 28 18 56 57 23 12 0 63 76 100 49 2 25 15 4 11 23
Rwanda 81 31 11 75 69 11 12 5 35 71 100 57 2 40 40 0 10 22
Saudi Arabia 2 70 83 64 79 67 12 58 57 76 100 46 66 95 100 100 19 64
Senegal 31 48 7 70 63 24 0 65 39 76 100 54 3 65 100 53 10 27
Serbia 81 31 18 75 57 34 12 15 59 79 100 39 4 35 15 0 10 22
Sierra Leone 33 46 3 70 53 58 0 40 19 76 100 48 4 60 80 60 10 24
Singapore 9 62 34 81 99 64 69 33 92 84 100 35 22 90 70 67 12 34
Slovakia 117 27 5 56 59 11 12 0 68 66 77 51 1 25 15 20 10 23
Slovenia 109 28 16 56 69 46 0 5 69 81 67 56 2 30 15 0 11 23
South Africa 34 45 12 79 73 22 40 7 51 56 100 38 3 60 60 67 16 34
South Korea 49 39 22 67 89 14 48 0 80 73 100 34 6 42 15 43 14 26
Spain 40 42 38 56 85 9 59 5 81 62 50 42 26 50 25 33 59 39
Sri Lanka 57 36 31 60 64 42 12 15 29 43 67 66 4 51 60 31 16 42
Sudan 22 53 31 53 67 63 0 51 20 68 100 45 20 90 100 60 10 40

Suriname 76 32 1 65 52 59 0 15 31 76 100 45 1 24 15 33 10 32
Sweden 87 30 17 56 81 40 16 15 89 57 73 42 3 32 25 9 13 22
Switzerland 61 35 47 56 94 48 12 15 80 43 33 42 5 55 50 30 12 29
Taiwan 27 52 14 59 84 27 76 15 58 83 100 24 4 60 50 63 13 63
Tajikistan 32 47 20 81 67 22 0 65 24 76 33 49 18 70 90 60 15 34
Tanzania 49 39 12 68 61 20 17 20 15 75 100 57 3 60 60 17 13 34
Thailand 28 51 43 79 69 20 48 30 55 63 100 25 23 55 50 87 10 41
Togo 76 32 4 72 52 13 0 15 19 76 100 54 6 25 40 33 10 22
Tunisia 17 60 31 80 54 90 20 58 56 76 83 49 43 80 100 50 27 35
Turkey 2 70 66 81 76 24 26 69 61 68 100 54 88 80 100 87 53 59
Uganda 68 33 8 67 52 6 0 15 21 76 100 62 3 25 40 53 10 17
United Arab Emirates (UAE) 5 66 85 76 88 85 12 56 66 76 100 54 29 80 100 100 11 67
United Kingdom (UK) 28 51 45 58 76 68 23 20 92 55 100 41 14 70 70 61 32 46
United States of America 37 43 24 45 85 65 48 18 83 48 100 14 13 55 35 37 32 30
(USA)
Uruguay 129 25 0 59 63 16 0 0 62 76 100 48 1 19 15 0 11 23
Uzbekistan 9 62 37 80 74 23 53 66 41 76 100 55 35 75 90 80 31 34
Vietnam 68 33 17 61 56 36 16 8 47 76 100 27 5 30 20 26 11 31
Zambia 123 26 5 67 55 11 0 3 19 76 100 48 2 20 20 13 10 22
Zimbabwe 93 29 0 69 46 56 0 20 15 68 100 73 2 30 25 0 11 14
Page end

06
DATA SOURCES AND
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

DATA SOURCES
CrescentRating Market Analytics Performance Solutions (CR MAPS)
maps.crescentrating.com
HalalTrip
HalalTrip.com
Mastercard-CrescentRating reports
www.crescentrating.com/halal-muslim-travel-market-reports.html
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization - UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
United Nations World Tourism Organization - UNWTO
www2.unwto.org
The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report
www.weforum.org
The Global Innovation Index
www.globalinnovationindex.org
The Global Peace Index
www.visionofhumanity.org
flightconncetions
www.flightconnections.com
Visa Index
visaindex.com
The Lonely Planet
www.lonelyplanet.com/places
World Bank Data
data.worldbank.org
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Research Team:
Fazal Bahardeen
Yusrah Khalil
Tawfiq Ikhtianto
Mastercard is a global technology CrescentRating is the world’s HalalTrip’s vision is to be the trusted
company in the payments industry. leading authority on Halal-friendly global online platform, catering for
Our mission is to connect and travel. The company’s vision is Muslim travelers to make inspired
power an inclusive, digital economy to lead, innovate and drive this and educated travel choices. It
that benefits everyone, everywhere segment through practical and is the most comprehensive and
by making transactions safe, simple, deliverable solutions in what is innovative platform with its next
smart and accessible. Using secure regarded today as one of the fastest generation mobile app.
data and networks, partnerships growing segments in the tourism
and passion, our innovations and sector. It aims to make destination
solutions help individuals, financial discovery and trip planning fun and
institutions, governments and The company uses insight, industry more intuitive for those looking for
businesses realize their greatest intelligence, lifestyle, behavior and a Halal-friendly travel experience.
potential. research on the needs of the Muslim
traveler to deliver authoritative
Our decency quotient, or DQ, drives guidance on all aspects of Halal-
our culture and everything we do friendly travel to organizations
inside and outside of our company. across the globe.
With connections across more than
210 countries and territories, we are
building a sustainable world that
unlocks priceless possibilities for all.
www.mastercard.com www.crescentrating.com www.halaltrip.com

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for human and/or mechanical error, CrescentRating and Mastercard
accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage resulting from
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GLOBAL MUSLIM
TRAVEL INDEX 2022
#GMTI2022

Mastercard EMEA - Global Muslim Travel Index 2022

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THE NEXT PHASE OF DEMOGRAPHICS & DATA SOURCES &

FOREWORD GMTI 2022 OVERVIEW GMTI 2022 RESULTS

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 2 / 60

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 3 / 60

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 4 / 60

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 5 / 60

Global Muslim Travel

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 6 / 60

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 7 / 60

HALAL TRAVEL DEVELOPMENT GOALS

INTEGRATION, HERITAGE, EDUCATION, INDUSTRY, WELL-BEING AND

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 8 / 60

MUSLIM FRIENDLY SERVICES & FACILITIES REMAIN KEY DETERMINANTS

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 9 / 60

GROWING IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL IMPACT ACTIVITIES IN TRAVEL

GOOD TO RAMADAN LOCAL

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 10 / 60

HALAL TRAVEL 2.0 AFTER THE DISRUPTION

2009 2014 2018 2019 2022

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 11 / 60

RECURRING THEMES IN KEY TRAVEL TRENDS

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 12 / 60

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 13 / 60

MUSLIM DEMOGRAPHICS IN NUMBERS

PERCENTAGE OF MUSLIM POPULATION

+27 Europe 2.7%

Eastern Asia 1.5%

FEMALES 70% GEN Z: 31.4%.... SAARC

MALES 25 YEARS MILLENNIALS:

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 14 / 60

GROWTH OF THE “UNDER 40 YEARS” MUSLIM POPULATION

THE UNDER 40 POPULATION 450 80%

TO 69.2% IN 2030 Less than 10 10 to 19 20 - 29 30 - 39 Percentage of Population under 40

THE POPULATION BETWEEN

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 15 / 60

THREE KEY DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WILL DRIVE HALAL TRAVEL 2.0

MUSLIM MILLENNIAL TRAVELERS MUSLIM WOMEN TRAVELERS GEN Z TRAVELERS

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 16 / 60

UNDERSTANDING THE PAIN POINTS OF MUSLIM WOMEN TRAVELERS

Women travelers represent one of the fastest-growing segments

An earlier study by Mastercard- & CrescentRating indicated Muslim

The P.A.I.N.S - Privacy, Amenities, Identity, Networks & Safety - model

Privacy/modesty is a considerable concern for Muslim women, leading

In addition, the identity of being a Muslim woman brings with it a bias

On the part of networking, there exists a void in information that is

Safety is another significant concern since identifying as a Muslim can

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 17 / 60

MUSLIM MILLENNIALS WILL STILL BE CHARACTERIZED BY THE 3As

With 23% of the global Muslim population being

unique identity of MMTs as their engagement with

Although in the short term, post pandemic behavior

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 18 / 60

ADAPTABILITY SETS MUSLIM GEN Z APART

ADAPTABLE AUTHENTIC AFFORDABLE ACCESSIBLE

* SPENDING POWER * EXPERIENCE * MORE ALTERNATIVES * REAL TIME INFORMATION

* CULTURE * INFORMATION * ACCOMMODATION * FACILITATING TRAVEL

* PERSONAL NEEDS * BEING REAL * TRANSPORT

MASTERCARD-CRESCENTRATING GLOBAL MUSLIM TRAVEL INDEX 2022 PAGE 19 / 60

RELIGIOUS & RAMADAN TRAVEL

As highlighted in the recent Mastercard- NORTH EUROPE WEST EUROPE SOUTH

Travel during Ramadan would again pick

extreme weather conditions.

Ramadan Destination Index (RDI), CENTRAL ASIA

attract and cater to Muslim travelers during