MANILA, PHILIPPINES — For the second straight year, the Philippines has been recognized as an Emerging Muslim-friendly non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2024.
The citation was announced at the Halal in Travel Global Summit held last May 30 in Singapore.
The Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) is an annual report benchmarking destinations in the Muslim travel market.
In its 2024 results, the GMTI described the Philippines as an “Emerging Muslim-friendly non-OIC Destination, “ focusing on building capacity to welcome tourists through various initiatives. These include Halal food across the destination and integrating Muslim- Friendly amenities at major tourist spots. Tourism authorities have placed Halal tourism high on their priority agenda, evidenced by their action to enhance the Halal tourism portfolio and raise awareness among tourism stakeholders about the values and practices important to Muslim travelers.”
Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco was elated with the recent citation. She commented, “The Philippine Department of Tourism recognizes the significance and potential of Halal Tourism in contributing to the growth and diversity of our tourism industry. 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.”
She added, “Halal Tourism presents a rapidly growing market segment. By prioritizing this, we not only demonstrate our commitment to inclusivity and cultural sensitivity but also open up opportunities to attract more Muslim travelers from around the world, while expanding markets for our tourism stakeholders and creating more livelihood and employment for our fellow Filipinos.”
Beefing up Halal Tourism in the Philippines
The summit coincided with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Brunei Darussalam, where Secretary Frasco inked a tourism cooperation agreement with her counterpart in a bid to further develop Halal Tourism in the Philippines, among others.
To recall, Halal Tourism is a priority product under the recently approved National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023 to 2028.
On the sidelines of the recently held Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) 2024 attended by Secretary Frasco, the DOT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, committing all their properties to be Muslim-friendly.
