Published on
August 25, 2025
As of now, Malaysia has initiated the fourth iteration of its Islamic Tourism Month (ITM), and has outlined activities suitable for both locals and foreigners. This year’s activities will run until September 30, and are centered on “Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality”. This further cements Malaysia’s decade-long record as the top Muslim-friendly country, and leading the GMTI for the last ten years.
The campaign spans throughout the nation, and focuses on the following eight sectors; Mosque Open Day, Accommodation, Travel Packages, Spa and Wellness, Food and Beverage, Events and Exhibitions, Shopping and Retail, and Tourism Products and Theme Parks. A keynote activity, the Mosque Open Day, enables individuals to visit some of the selected mosques and are offered some guided tours, exhibitions, and community programs activities aimed at promoting multiculturalism and Malaysia’s Islamic heritage.
This year, focus on digital tourism is at the forefront, as evidenced by the ITM TikTok Challenge where content creators are invited to showcase their travel journeys across partnered destinations for a prize pool of more than RM50,000. This serves as a means to promote Malaysia’s Muslim-friendly features while engaging with a broader international audience.
ITM serves as both a cultural initiative as well as an economic initiative. It assists businesses in catering to the growing Muslim travel market that is looking for halal-certified dining, as well as services and hospitality that are Muslim-friendly. It also aligns with Malaysia’s strategic tourism targets in the lead-up to Visit Malaysia 2026, embracing sustainable tourism and inclusivity.
As for Hong Kong, it is enhancing its Muslim-friendly tourism with the newly launched campaign, “Jelajah Hong Kong” in collaboration with Klook. This campaign targets multiple markets and aims to ease travel for Muslim tourists, providing prayer breaks, Muslim-friendly lodging, curated itineraries, and access to key cultural and family spots. With the Kreator network in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, the campaign ensures that Muslim tourists have a customized and hassle-free travel experience.
Hong Kong has already gained recognition for its efforts in this space. The Most Promising Muslim-Friendly Destination award at the Halal In Travel Awards 2025 is a testament to this. GMTI ranks Hong Kong 3rd among non-oic destinations and 2nd in the world in the Muslim Women-Friendly Travel index which shows the growing appeal the region has among Muslim travelers.
The trend of travelling to Hong Kong is increasing at an astonishing rate. Just last year, the city received a startling 176 million international Muslim tourists, a number that is expected to increase to 245 million by 2030. Expenditures by Muslim tourists is expected to exceed USD 230 billion (RM 971 billion), underscoring the immense economic value of meeting the Muslim tourist’s needs.
Both Malaysia and Hong Kong are now champions of inclusive tourism for the region. They offer outstanding tourist sites and combined religious and cultural services, and thus, these nations are transforming Muslim-friendly travel. These efforts indicate the potential of inclusive tourism in improving the travel experience and economic development alongside international relations, serving as guidance for other tourist destinations looking to appeal to a wider range of global tourists.
