Muslim travellers looking to visit Muslim heritage sites and hidden gems as well as experience the culture and lifestyle of local Muslims are seeing renewed interest post-lockdown.
This observation was shared by panellists speaking in a forum titled, The Future of Muslim Travel: Are Destinations Engaging Enough on the second day of the Halal in Travel Global Summit.
Muslim travellers are keen to learn about Islamic culture in other countries
Riyanto Sofyan, chairman, Sofyan Corporation in Indonesia, shared that community-based tourism products in Indonesia, such as homestays, have become increasingly popular with longhaul Muslim travellers, particularly those from the US and the UK, who wish to experience the Islamic way of life in Indonesian villages.
He noted that social media and digital marketing have helped to convey such experiences to longhaul markets. Previously, these experiences were traditionally more popular among Muslim travellers from Singapore and Malaysia.
Lee Jian Xuan, area director, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei at Singapore Tourism Board, said Muslim travellers from Malaysia and Brunei are keen to learn about Malay history and heritage in Singapore, which is easily accessible by visiting Kampong Glam and the Malay Heritage Centre, as well as the Peranakan Museum on Armenian Street.
Abdul Maalik Tailor, CEO of Halal Tourism Britain, which specialises in halal travel and Muslim heritage of Britain, shared that Muslim visitors to the UK show interest in learning more about Muslim culture and visiting Muslim heritage sites outside of London. He added that some Muslim visitors would combine visiting the UK and France into one trip, with the focus on trips to Muslim heritage sites.
Despite the renewed interest, the panellists agree that the basics of Muslim travel, such as prayer facilities and the ease of access to halal and Muslim-friendly food, are still paramount in attracting the Muslim traveller.
Muslim travellers looking to visit Muslim heritage sites and hidden gems as well as experience the culture and lifestyle of local Muslims are seeing renewed interest post-lockdown.
This observation was shared by panellists speaking in a forum titled, The Future of Muslim Travel: Are Destinations Engaging Enough on the second day of the Halal in Travel Global Summit.
Riyanto Sofyan, chairman, Sofyan Corporation in Indonesia, shared that community-based tourism products in Indonesia, such as homestays, have become increasingly popular with longhaul Muslim travellers, particularly those from the US and the UK, who wish to experience the Islamic way of life in Indonesian villages.
He noted that social media and digital marketing have helped to convey such experiences to longhaul markets. Previously, these experiences were traditionally more popular among Muslim travellers from Singapore and Malaysia.
Lee Jian Xuan, area director, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei at Singapore Tourism Board, said Muslim travellers from Malaysia and Brunei are keen to learn about Malay history and heritage in Singapore, which is easily accessible by visiting Kampong Glam and the Malay Heritage Centre, as well as the Peranakan Museum on Armenian Street.
Abdul Maalik Tailor, CEO of Halal Tourism Britain, which specialises in halal travel and Muslim heritage of Britain, shared that Muslim visitors to the UK show interest in learning more about Muslim culture and visiting Muslim heritage sites outside of London. He added that some Muslim visitors would combine visiting the UK and France into one trip, with the focus on trips to Muslim heritage sites.
Despite the renewed interest, the panellists agree that the basics of Muslim travel, such as prayer facilities and the ease of access to halal and Muslim-friendly food, are still paramount in attracting the Muslim traveller.