Muslim travellers projected to hit 245m by 2030 as women reshape tourism demand

The global Muslim travel market is entering a new phase of growth, with Muslim women emerging as one of its most influential traveller segments and destinations facing increasing pressure to deliver more trusted, inclusive and digitally enabled experiences.

New reports released by Mastercard and CrescentRating project international Muslim visitor arrivals to reach 245 million by 2030, up from an estimated 186 million in 2025, highlighting the scale of opportunity for tourism brands, destinations and hospitality players seeking to capture the expanding market.

The findings, published in “Halal Travel Trends 2026” and “Muslim Women in Travel 2026”, also show Muslim women accounting for 90 million international arrivals in 2025, representing 48% of all Muslim visitor arrivals globally. That compares with 63 million arrivals and a 45% share in 2019.

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The reports suggest the Muslim travel sector is evolving beyond basic halal-friendly offerings such as prayer spaces and halal food availability, with travellers now placing growing importance on safety, digital assurance, seamless payments and culturally aligned experiences.

At the centre of the research is CrescentRating’s RIDA framework – responsible, immersive, digital and assured – designed as a guide for destinations and travel businesses looking to strengthen their appeal among Muslim travellers.

Asia continues to dominate the Muslim travel landscape, according to the reports, attracting nearly 120 million Muslim visitors in 2024, equivalent to 65% of the world’s 176 million Muslim travellers. The study attributes the region’s strength to established halal ecosystems, strong regional connectivity and cultural familiarity between source and destination markets.

Southeast Asia is expected to remain a key beneficiary of the trend. Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei were identified among the preferred destinations for Muslim women travellers, while Southeast Asia itself generated 5.8 million Muslim women travellers as a source market.

The reports also indicate that non-Muslim-majority destinations could gain a competitive advantage if they improve the visibility and reliability of Muslim-friendly services, particularly as travellers increasingly seek reassurance before booking.

Muslim women, meanwhile, are becoming increasingly influential in shaping travel decisions across family holidays, solo travel, religious journeys and women-led group trips.

Safety emerged as the leading consideration, with 60% of Muslim women travellers citing general safety and comfort as the most important destination factor, followed by Muslim-friendliness at 30%.

Digital platforms are also playing a growing role in travel discovery and planning. The reports found that 68% of respondents said social media influenced their travel decisions, with Instagram ranked as the most-used platform, followed by YouTube and TikTok. AI tools are also increasingly being used to evaluate 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 centre, 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.”

The reports argue that destinations must now shift focus from simply offering Muslim-friendly services to ensuring those services are consistently visible, verifiable and trusted.

“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. The destinations that clearly communicate their readiness and deliver consistently across the journey will be best positioned to earn long-term loyalty.”

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