ITC And Matta On Track To Expand Muslim-Friendly Travel

KUALA LUMPUR, 4 JULY 2026: Malaysia steadily advances its steps in Muslim-friendly travel, this time through a newly sealed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) at the World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur today. 

Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture (MOTAC), YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing stood witness as ITC Director-General, Encik Mohammad Faisal Abu Suaib Khan and MATTA President Mr. Nigel Wong signed the historic agreement. 

Held on the first of the two-day MATTA Muslim-Friendly Travel Fair (MFTF) 2026 where ITC is participating as a strategic partner, the MOU focuses on expanding and strengthening Malaysia’s Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) ecosystem through training, industry engagement and promotion. Partnering with MATTA, the nation’s largest travel and tour association with more than 2,900 members, ITC aims to equip tourism industry practitioners with the right resources to make Muslim-friendly facilities and services accessible to everyone stepping foot on Malaysian shores. 

Encik Mohammad Faisal noted that the initiative highlights hospitality values that appeal to everyone. “A primary focus of this partnership involves integrating MATTA members into the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) programme. Through this joint effort, we plan to train 1,000 industry professionals over the next couple of years, with the first session happening on 27 and 28 July for an estimated 50 MATTA members.” 

Mohammad Faisal said: “The global Muslim market represents a formidable demographic of 2.2 billion people worldwide. On the local front, they are estimated to contribute 15 million to our total arrival count by 2030. Given these vast prospects and the sector’s universal values, ITC urges industry players to grab the opportunity to collaborate with us.” 

“Ultimately, our goal is to develop a single point of reference for the global Muslim population with a comprehensive database of Muslim-friendly hotels, travel agencies, tourist guides, spa and wellness offerings, and other products and services. It will be a useful and valuable resource to ease Muslim travellers in making their travel decisions,” explained the ITC Director-General. 

Adding to the excitement, MATTA’s Vice President for Air Transportation, Dr. Fazil Khan Abdul Kadir states “MATTA and ITC have always shared the same direction. This MoU makes it official. Growing the Muslim-friendly travel market takes more than goodwill. It takes structure, accountability, and partnerships that are built to last. We are proud to have found that in ITC, and we look forward to what this means for our members and for the industry as a whole.” 

This partnership reinforces Malaysia’s leading standing in the global Muslim travel scene. Just last month, the nation retained its position as the Top Muslim-Friendly Destination (OIC) in the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026 for 11 consecutive years, Malaysia also bagged two more major accolades—Muslim Women-Friendly Destination of the Year and Accessible Muslim-Friendly Destination of the Year at the Halal in Travel Awards 2026 in Singapore. Building on this momentum, ITC has expanded the MFAR programme to Russia and Taiwan, with the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka also expressing strong interest.