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Singapore favoured by Muslim travellers
City-state takes top spot among non-OIC destinations amid surge in AI-assisted holiday planning
SINGAPORE (MNTV) — Singapore has retained its position as the leading destination for Muslim travellers among non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation nations, even as artificial intelligence reshapes the global tourism sector, reports The Business Times.
The city-state ranked 11th globally and first among non-OIC destinations in the Mastercard and CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), scoring 72 out of 100. The index credited Singapore’s performance to its halal culinary ecosystem, strong safety standards, multicultural environment, and smart destination infrastructure.
The index, which evaluated 150 destinations representing more than 98% of global Muslim visitor arrivals, found that four in five travellers now use AI tools to plan, evaluate, and discover their journeys.
“As AI becomes more embedded in travel planning, destinations and businesses need to make trusted information, secure payments and Muslim-friendly services easier to discover and act on,” said Aisha Islam, senior vice-president of Mastercard’s South-east Asia customer solutions centre.
Malaysia retained the top global spot for the 11th consecutive year with a score of 82, anchored by its highly developed halal tourism sector and the Visit Malaysia 2026 agenda. Indonesia rose three places to share second position with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia, each scoring 79.
Among non-OIC destinations, Hong Kong climbed to second place, while Taiwan and the U.K. tied for third.
Asia remained the centre of gravity for Muslim travel, recording nearly 128 million Muslim arrivals at a 20.8% market penetration. South-east Asia emerged as a primary travel corridor for Asian Muslim travellers in 2026, driven by proximity to major source markets, strong air connectivity, established halal ecosystems, and rich cultural appeal.
Among emerging destinations, Mindanao in the Philippines was recognised as the most promising non-OIC Muslim-friendly region, while Jawa Barat in Indonesia took the top spot among OIC regions.
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