MASTERCARD, in collaboration with CrescentRating, today released two new reports: Halal Travel Trends 2026 and Muslim Women in Travel 2026, examining how Muslim travel is evolving amid rising demand for more inclusive, trusted and purpose-led experiences.
Muslim travel is becoming an increasingly significant growth opportunity. Halal Travel Trends 2026 revealed that international Muslim visitor arrivals are estimated at 186 million in 2025 and projected to reach 245 million by 2030.
Meanwhile, Muslim Women in Travel 2026 finds that Muslim women travelers accounted for 90 million international arrivals in 2025, representing 48% of global Muslim visitor arrivals, up from 63 million and 45% in 2019.
Additionally, baseline services for Muslim-friendly tourism – Halal food and prayer spaces – have stepped up in recent years, identifying experiences such as safety, digital confidence, and faith-aligned assurance as part of the new norm.
At the center of both reports is CrescentRating’s RIDA framework (Responsible, Immersive, Digital and Assured) which provides a practical roadmap for destinations, tourism boards and businesses to better serve Muslim travelers.
Asia and ASEAN at the heart of Muslim travel growth
Asia remains central to the global Muslim travel landscape. Halal Travel Trends 2026 finds that the region drew nearly 120 million Muslim visitors in 2024, representing 65% of the world’s 176 million global Muslim visitors.
The report attributes Asia’s strength to connectivity, cultural depth, established Halal infrastructure and proximity between major Muslim source and destination markets.
ASEAN is particularly well positioned to capture this demand. Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei feature among the preferred destinations for Muslim women travelers, while Southeast Asia accounts for 5.8 million Muslim women travelers as a source region.
The region’s established Halal ecosystems, family-friendly travel options, regional connectivity and growing investment in inclusive tourism give it a strong foundation to serve this fast-evolving market.
Beyond Muslim-majority destinations, the reports also point to growing opportunities for destinations that can make Muslim-friendly readiness more visible and reliable — helping destinations convert interest into bookings while strengthening traveler confidence.
Muslim Women travelers shape the future of inclusive tourism
Muslim Women in Travel 2026 spotlights one of the most influential segments within the broader Muslim travel market.
Muslim women are increasingly shaping where, how and why trips are planned — whether for family holidays, solo travel, religious journeys, business trips or women-led group experiences.
The report finds that safety and trust are key priorities. General safety and comfort are the most important destination factors for 60% of Muslim women travelers, followed by Muslim-friendliness at 30%.
Travelers want to feel confident accessing Halal food, finding prayer spaces, dressing modestly, moving through destinations safely and practicing their faith without discrimination or judgement.Digital discovery is also playing a defining role.
The report finds that 68% of respondents said social media influenced their travel decisions, with Instagram as the most used platform, followed by YouTube and TikTok.
AI tools are also emerging as a new layer of travel assurance, helping travelers research destinations, compare options, plan itineraries, identify Halal dining, locate prayer spaces and assess safety considerations.
“Muslim travel is entering a more sophisticated phase, where confidence, inclusion and purpose are becoming as important as access and convenience,” said Aisha Islam, senior vice president, Customer Solutions Center, Southeast Asia at Mastercard. “Through the RIDA framework, destinations and businesses have a practical way to think about the full traveler journey from trusted digital information and secure payments to meaningful experiences that respect faith, culture, safety and personal values.”
From availability to assurance
Both reports point to a clear industry opportunity: Destinations that make Muslim-friendly services more visible, verifiable and consistent will be better positioned to convert interest into visits and build long-term loyalty.
The RIDA framework provides a practical way for destinations to respond:Responsible: support community-led tourism, environmental stewardship and regenerative travel practices. Immersive: create deeper cultural, heritage and local experiences that go beyond sightseeing.
Digital: use technology, AI and secure digital payments to reduce friction and increase confidence.
Assured: build trust through verified Halal services, safety standards, inclusive infrastructure and consistent quality across touchpoints.
“For destinations, the opportunity is to move from availability to assurance,” said Raudha Zaini, director of operations, CrescentRating. “Muslim travelers are looking for experiences that are meaningful, inclusive and easy to trust. The destinations that clearly communicate their readiness and deliver consistently across the journey will be best positioned to earn long-term loyalty.”
As Muslim travel continues to grow across regions and traveler segments, the reports highlight the need for a more integrated approach to tourism development.
By embedding responsible practices, authentic experiences, digital confidence and trusted faith-aligned services into destination planning, the travel industry can unlock stronger participation, deeper loyalty and more resilient growth.
