Mastercard, in collaboration with CrescentRating, has released two new reports, Halal Travel Trends 2026 and Muslim Women in Travel 2026, which examine how Muslim travel continues to evolve amid rising demand for more inclusive, trusted and purpose-led travel experiences. The reports highlight Muslim travel as an increasingly significant global growth opportunity, with Halal Travel Trends 2026 estimating international Muslim visitor arrivals at 186 million in 2025 and projecting this figure to reach 245 million by 2030. Meanwhile, Muslim Women in Travel 2026 notes that Muslim women accounted for 90 million international arrivals in 2025, representing 48% of global Muslim visitor arrivals, up from 63 million and 45% in 2019.
The reports also show that baseline services in Muslim-friendly tourism, particularly halal food and prayer facilities, have become more widely available, while expectations have expanded to include safety, digital confidence and faith-aligned assurance as part of the new standard. At the centre of both studies is CrescentRating’s RIDA framework (Responsible, Immersive, Digital and Assured), which serves as a practical guide for destinations, tourism boards and businesses to better meet the needs of Muslim travellers.
Asia continues to play a central role in the global Muslim travel landscape. Halal Travel Trends 2026 finds that the region attracted nearly 120 million Muslim visitors in 2024, accounting for about 65% of the world’s 176 million Muslim travellers. This strength is driven by strong connectivity, cultural depth, established halal infrastructure and close proximity between key source and destination markets. Within ASEAN, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei are identified among preferred destinations for Muslim women travellers, while Southeast Asia itself represents 5.8 million Muslim women travellers as a source region. The region’s established halal ecosystems, family-friendly offerings, strong connectivity and continued investment in inclusive tourism position it strongly to serve this growing market.
Beyond Muslim-majority destinations, the reports also highlight emerging opportunities for destinations that improve visibility and reliability of Muslim-friendly offerings, enabling stronger conversion from interest to confirmed travel bookings while enhancing traveller confidence.
Muslim Women in Travel 2026 further underscores the growing influence of Muslim women as a key segment shaping global tourism trends. Muslim women are increasingly driving decisions on where, how and why travel takes place, whether for family holidays, solo trips, religious journeys, business travel or women-led group experiences. Safety and trust remain key priorities, with 60% of respondents identifying general safety and comfort as the most important destination factors, followed by Muslim-friendliness at 30%. Travellers also emphasise the importance of being able to access halal food, prayer facilities, modest fashion considerations, safe mobility and the ability to practise their faith without discrimination or judgement.
Digital platforms are also playing an increasingly influential role in travel decision-making, with 68% of respondents stating that social media influences their travel choices. Instagram is identified as the most used platform, followed by YouTube and TikTok, while artificial intelligence tools are emerging as a growing resource for trip planning, helping travellers compare destinations, identify halal dining options, 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 traveller journey, from trusted digital information and secure payments to meaningful experiences that respect faith, culture, safety and personal values.”
Both reports emphasise a clear industry shift from availability to assurance, where destinations that make Muslim-friendly services more visible, verifiable and consistent are better positioned to convert demand into actual travel and build long-term loyalty. The RIDA framework supports this transition through four key pillars: Responsible, focusing on community-led tourism, environmental stewardship and regenerative practices; Immersive, which encourages deeper cultural, heritage and local experiences beyond sightseeing; Digital, leveraging technology, AI and secure payments to reduce friction and improve confidence; and Assured, which builds trust through verified halal services, safety standards, inclusive infrastructure and consistent quality across all touchpoints.
“For destinations, the opportunity is to move from availability to assurance,” said Raudha Zaini, Director of Operations, CrescentRating. “Muslim travellers are looking for experiences that are meaningful, inclusive and easy to trust. 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 expand across regions and traveller segments, the reports highlight the importance of a more integrated approach to tourism development. By embedding responsible practices, authentic experiences, digital confidence and trusted faith-aligned services into destination planning, the industry is well positioned to unlock stronger participation, deeper loyalty and more sustainable long-term growth.
