SINGAPORE — The Philippines has been named an emerging Muslim-friendly travel destination for the second year in a row at the Halal in Travel Global Summit, held in Singapore on May 30. This accolade, issued by the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2024, underscores the nation's efforts to cater to Muslim tourists through enhanced services and facilities.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippines has implemented several initiatives aimed at building capacity to welcome Muslim tourists, including the integration of Halal food options and Muslim-friendly amenities at major tourist destinations. The Tourism authorities in the Philippines have placed a high priority on Halal tourism, as evident from their actions to enhance the Halal tourism portfolio and raise awareness among tourism stakeholders about the values and practices important to Muslim travelers.
Mastercard noted that the Philippines has seen an increase in its communications score since 2023, reflecting its strategic efforts to attract Muslim tourists by developing its Halal Tourism portfolio, increasing halal accreditation of hotels and restaurants, and conducting Halal awareness orientations. "This effort builds on their achievement of winning the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year award in last year's Halal in Travel Global Summit, based on GMTI 2023 results," said a spokesperson from Mastercard.
Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of CrescentRating, praised the Philippines' improved score as a demonstration of the Department of Tourism's (DOT) unwavering commitment to advancing Muslim-friendly tourism and enhancing the destination's appeal.
Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco responded to the recognition by emphasizing it as an affirmation of the Marcos administration's commitment to diversity and inclusivity. "As a country known for its warm hospitality, rich cultural heritage, and breathtaking natural attractions, catering to the needs of Muslim travelers through the development of Halal Tourism is crucial in ensuring that we raise our competitiveness in the global tourism market," Frasco stated.
She highlighted that Halal tourism is not only a rapidly growing market segment but also a priority under the recently approved National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023 to 2028. During President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s state visit to Brunei, Frasco signed a tourism cooperation agreement to further develop Halal tourism in the Philippines.
Additionally, on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Mart 2024, the DOT signed a memorandum of understanding with Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, committing all its properties to be Muslim-friendly. An MOU with Qatar was also signed in April to boost cooperation in tourism and business events.
The Department of Tourism also reported a significant recovery in tourist arrivals from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, highlighting increased numbers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman compared to pre-pandemic figures.