The Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) is advancing the global expansion of Malaysia’s Muslim-friendly tourism standards through a new international partnership.
The lead agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC), tasked with developing the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) ecosystem, has formalised this effort through a strategic collaboration with RusQuality, Russia’s halal assurance body.
At the 17th International Islamic Forum Russia–Islamic World: KazanForum in Tatarstan, the two organisations signed a Memorandum of Mutual Recognition (MOMR) on May 14 to align Malaysia’s and Russia’s guidelines for Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality services.
The agreement grants both parties reciprocal rights to use each other’s official logos and branding, creating a unified identity for Muslim-friendly standards across both destinations.
ITC director-general Mohammad Faisal Abu Suaib Khan said in a statement: “We are honoured to represent Malaysia in this historic collaboration, which further extends the global reach of the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition programme. When Malaysia initially developed MFAR, our goal was to create a sense of home and peace of mind for Muslim travellers, no matter where they landed.
“Russia has demonstrated sophisticated work in the halal sector through RusQuality, and we are proud to work alongside such a capable partner for Malaysia. By aligning our standards, we wish to simplify businesses for both countries to work together and succeed. The US$235 billion-worth Muslim international tourist market is huge, and having both parties on board will mobilise greater liquidity through the tourism economy in both destinations.”
Mohammad Faisal also highlighted the broader appeal of Muslim-friendly standards, emphasising that “as travellers become more conscious of their choices, Muslim-friendly standards – rooted in universal values such as cleanliness, safety, and family-oriented services – will see growing demand, not only among Muslim travellers but also among those who value these principles”.
“ITC is ready to work with other destinations to help them strategise to leverage on this global tourism potential through our standards, training, and research.”
Maxim Aleksandrovich Protasov, head of ANO Russian Quality System / RusQuality, said: “This partnership with ITC reflects our deep confidence in Malaysia’s MFAR framework as a global benchmark for Muslim-friendly travel. Harmonising our standards strengthens Russia’s position as a premier Muslim-friendly destination and equips our industry players to capture the immense potential of the Muslim-friendly travel sector and the greater halal economy. Our hope is that this partnership will facilitate a new era of seamless travel, giving Muslim tourists the same level of confidence and assurance in Russia that they experience in Malaysia.”
