The UK has retained its position as the second most Muslim-friendly destination amongst non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, according to the Mastercard-Cresentrating Global Muslim Travel Index 2024. Published in May, the 9th edition of this annual report provides insights into the global Muslim travel market – expected to be worth $225 billion by 2028 – including the latest demographic trends, traveller intentions and preferences, and evaluates 145 destinations on Muslim friendliness in four areas: Access, Communication, Environment, and Services.
The Access criteria evaluates the accessibility of a destination from the top 30 Muslim outbound markets, including air and land connectivity, distance, visa requirements, and transport infrastructure. The Communication criteria assesses a destination’s communication capabilities and efforts to market to Muslim travellers, and includes communication proficiency in the top 10 languages spoken by Muslim travellers, destination marketing, and stakeholder awareness. The Environment category looks at a destination’s overall atmosphere and conditions in relation to its appeal and suitability for Muslim travellers. This includes general safety, faith restrictions, Muslim visitor arrivals, sustainability, and for the first time, accessible travel. The Services pillar looks at the range and quality of services available to Muslim travellers in a destination, focusing on several key factors: availability of prayer places and mosques, availability of Halal dining options, Muslim-friendly airports, Muslim-friendly accommodation, and heritage experiences and attractions significant to Muslim travellers.
For the second year running, the UK ranked number two amongst non-OIC countries, second only to Singapore, and 24th overall. The report cites the UK’s vibrant Muslim community, extensive Halal and Muslim-friendly services, culturally rich attractions and scenic countryside that appeals to Muslim travellers.
Commenting on the report, AbdulMaalik Tailor, Founding Director of Halal Tourism Britain and a leading UK authority on Halal tourism said, “Eid Mubarak to all the Halal travellers who are visiting Britain. It’s tremendous news that once again Britain has held its position as the most Muslim friendly destination in the West by the GMTI 2024 report. Britain has ample Halal restaurants, prayer places, and Muslim heritage sites alongside amazing attractions and diverse landscapes. There’s something for everyone!”
UKinbound CEO Joss Croft OBE added, “I’m delighted that the UK has held its position as the number two leading non-OIC Muslim-friendly destination globally, and the number one in Europe. We have so much to offer our Muslim visitors here in the UK. With significant Muslim populations in cities such as London, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow, the UK offers an increasing number of Muslim friendly services and experiences. We are a very welcoming country with a lot of diversity and we look forward to welcoming all our Muslim visitors in 2024 and 2025.”
Follow the link below to download the Mastercard-Cresentrating Global Muslim Travel Index 2024.
