Malaysia has retained its crown as the world's No.1 Muslim-friendly travel destination for the 11th consecutive year in the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2026, released by CrescentRating and Mastercard this week.
Saudi Arabia secured 2nd place and UAE 3rd, while Turkey and Indonesia completed the Top 5. The biggest surprise is India jumping into the Top 10 non-OIC destinations for the first time, driven by Muslim-friendly facilities in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kerala and Kashmir.
Key highlights GMTI 2026:
• Malaysia scores 76 for halal dining, prayer facilities, and airport services • Global Muslim travel market to hit $300 billion by 2026-end, up from $225B in 2025 • 230 million Muslim travellers expected in 2026, the fastest recovery post-COVID • India, Singapore, UK lead non-OIC ranking • Thailand, Japan investing heavily in halal certification
The report says Indian Muslim travellers' spending power crosses $20 billion, making India both a source and destination.
This is a big boost for Halal tourism as Ramadan 2026 travel bookings are up 40%.
Source: GMTI 2026 - CrescentRating, Mastercard
