Saturday, June 14, 2025
Hong Kong Rises to Third Among Global Muslim-Friendly Non-OIC Travel Destinations in 2025 Mastercard-CrescentRating Index
Hong Kong has earned international recognition as one of the most welcoming travel destinations for Muslim travelers outside the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries, securing third place in the 2025 Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI). This marks a notable improvement from its previous fourth-place ranking and highlights the city’s growing efforts to cater to the needs of Muslim visitors.
The announcement came as the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive tourism and enhancing the overall visitor experience for the global Muslim community. As part of its broader strategy to diversify the city’s tourism portfolio, the HKTB had previously commissioned CrescentRating—a leading Singapore-based research and advisory firm specializing in the Muslim travel market—to evaluate and benchmark Hong Kong’s performance in key areas of Muslim-friendly travel services.
In addition to its top-three ranking, Hong Kong also received the prestigious title of “Most Promising Muslim-Friendly Destination of the Year”, underscoring its emerging position as a hub for Muslim-friendly tourism in East Asia.
The Mastercard-CrescentRating GMTI evaluates destinations using a comprehensive framework that includes factors such as access to halal food, prayer facilities, airport and transport convenience, ease of communication, safety, and accommodation standards aligned with Islamic values. Hong Kong’s advancement in the rankings reflects its progress in several of these areas.
While Hong Kong continues to build its reputation in the global Muslim travel market, industry experts have noted that there is still untapped potential to further enhance its competitiveness. Recommendations include expanding the availability of halal-certified restaurants, increasing the number of prayer rooms in public and commercial spaces, and raising awareness of Muslim-friendly services among hospitality providers.
The Tourism Board’s collaboration with CrescentRating included a detailed assessment of hotels, tourist attractions, and shopping centers to determine their readiness to accommodate Muslim travelers. The findings informed a roadmap to implement improvements across the tourism ecosystem, ensuring that facilities are not only accessible but also culturally respectful and aligned with the expectations of Muslim guests.
This recognition comes at a time when Muslim travel continues to grow as a key global tourism segment. The Mastercard-CrescentRating Index projects that the number of Muslim travelers worldwide will exceed 230 million by 2028, making it a vital demographic for future tourism development. Hong Kong’s proactive approach to inclusivity places it in a strong position to tap into this expanding market.
With a rich cultural heritage, world-class infrastructure, and increasing sensitivity to religious and cultural diversity, Hong Kong aims to be more than a stopover. It is positioning itself as a welcoming and convenient destination for Muslim families, solo travelers, and group tours alike.
The continued development of Muslim-friendly tourism services in Hong Kong reflects a broader shift in travel trends, where inclusivity and cultural accommodation are becoming essential components of global travel appeal. Hong Kong’s recognition in the 2025 Global Muslim Travel Index not only marks a milestone but also signals the city’s ambition to become a top-tier destination for diverse travelers from all walks of life.
Hong Kong Steps Up Muslim Tourism Strategy with Accredited Hotels and Rising Global Recognition
Hong Kong has significantly accelerated its efforts to become a more inclusive travel destination by focusing on attracting Muslim visitors, according to the latest findings from the 2025 Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index. The report emphasized the city’s strides in diversifying its tourism offerings, pointing to a notable increase in establishments that now cater specifically to the needs of Muslim travelers.
Since mid-2024, over 60 hotels, restaurants, and tourism-related businesses in Hong Kong have achieved official Muslim-friendly accreditation from CrescentRating, a globally recognized authority on halal travel based in Singapore. This rapid growth in certified facilities underscores the city’s commitment to building a tourism environment that respects religious practices and enhances comfort for Muslim guests.
Out of 61 Hong Kong hotels evaluated by CrescentRating so far, nine have earned the highest attainable score of five, reflecting their strong compliance with Muslim-friendly standards. Notable properties receiving top ratings include Island Shangri-La, Kerry Hotel, and Dorsett Tsuen Wan. These hotels offer essential services such as halal food options, Qibla direction indicators, prayer mats, and accessible prayer facilities—all critical factors for Muslim travelers when choosing accommodation.
CrescentRating uses a detailed seven-tier system to assess the level of Muslim-friendly services provided by hospitality providers. Scores of six and seven are reserved for specialized accommodations that go beyond standard offerings by catering almost exclusively to halal-conscious travelers. These elite ratings are typically granted to establishments that consistently provide halal-certified dining, private facilities, and a broad range of Shariah-compliant amenities.
In the latest global ranking of non-OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) countries, Singapore retained the top position as the most Muslim-friendly destination, followed by the United Kingdom. Hong Kong moved up to third place, ahead of Taiwan in fourth and Thailand in fifth. The report reflects the competitive landscape among non-Islamic economies striving to meet the growing demand for culturally inclusive travel services.
Among Islamic nations, Malaysia once again secured the top spot, reaffirming its leadership in halal tourism. Other leading destinations in the OIC bloc included Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia—countries known for their strong halal infrastructure and deeply rooted Islamic cultural experiences.
The report suggests that Hong Kong’s upward momentum in this segment is the result of strategic planning and active collaboration between government tourism bodies and international Muslim tourism experts. The Hong Kong Tourism Board’s engagement with CrescentRating has laid the foundation for long-term improvements and international benchmarking in service quality for Muslim travelers.
As Muslim travel continues to emerge as one of the fastest-growing segments in the global tourism market, Hong Kong’s commitment to inclusivity and cultural accommodation positions it as a rising destination of choice. Through increased accreditation, service upgrades, and dedicated promotional efforts, the city is steadily carving out its identity as a welcoming and respectful place for Muslim visitors from around the world.
For example, it was observed that while some hotels and attractions had taken steps to accommodate Muslim guests by installing ablution facilities, many overlooked the importance of gender separation. In several instances, only a single shared space was provided, failing to meet the religious requirement for distinct areas for men and women during pre-prayer washing.
Additionally, certain prayer spaces within tourism venues were found to have large reflective windows, which can be disruptive during prayer. Islamic teachings emphasize minimizing distractions in places of worship, and reflective surfaces are generally discouraged in such environments.
There were also gaps in understanding halal food requirements among some food establishments. A few mistakenly believed that offering a prayer over food made it halal, while others misidentified languages—confusing Urdu writing with Arabic—when labeling menus or signage, leading to further confusion for Muslim visitors seeking genuine halal options.
