Halal Tourism: An Untapped Opportunity for the Maldives

Halal Tourism may offer the Maldives a timely opportunity to diversify on its traditional hospitality offerings.

Tourism is one of the most dynamic sectors of the global economy, continuously evolving with new niche markets and traveler preferences. One emerging segment in tourism is halal tourism, also known as Islamic tourism or Muslim-friendly tourism. Halal tourism refers to tourism products and services that comply with Islamic principles and cater to the needs of Muslim travellers, including halal food, prayer facilities, and environments that respect Islamic values (Battour & Ismail, 2016; Henderson, 2016).

The growing Muslim population worldwide and their increasing purchasing power have significantly contributed to the expansion of this market. Muslim travellers represent a large and rapidly growing segment within international tourism. In 2019, global Muslim international tourist arrivals reached approximately 160 million, and projections indicate that this number could reach around 230 million by 2028, generating travel revenue exceeding USD 225 billion (Mastercard & CrescentRating, 2024).

Many destinations, both Muslim-majority and non-Muslim-majority, have recognised the potential of halal tourism and have begun adapting their offerings accordingly. Countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey, and Japan have actively implemented policies and infrastructure to attract Muslim travellers (Henderson, 2016). However, despite being an Islamic nation with a well established tourism industry and a primed ecosystem, the Maldives has yet to fully explore halal tourism as a structured and targeted market segment.

Halal tourism has gained increasing attention in tourism research over the past decade. Scholars and researchers define halal tourism as travel activities and services designed to meet the religious requirements of Muslim travellers while maintaining conventional tourism experiences (Battour & Ismail, 2016). Such services often include halal-certified food, prayer facilities, gender-segregated recreational facilities, and alcohol-free environments (Henderson, 2016).

According to recent market forecasts, the halal tourism industry is projected to reach approximately USD 320 billion by 2026 and could grow to nearly USD 579 billion by 2036

Research suggests that the demand for halal tourism is driven by several factors, including the growing Muslim population and increasing disposable income among Muslim travellers (Akhtar, 2012). Furthermore, the globalisation of the tourism industry has created greater awareness of religious and cultural diversity, encouraging destinations to adopt inclusive tourism practices (Carboni et al., 2017).

According to recent market forecasts, the halal tourism industry is projected to reach approximately USD 320 billion by 2026 and could grow to nearly USD 579 billion by 2036, highlighting the sector’s substantial economic potential (Future Market Insights, 2024).

The Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) has become one of the primary tools used to assess how destinations cater to Muslim travellers. The index evaluates destinations based on factors such as accessibility, communication, environment, and services provided for Muslim tourists (Rasyid & Ayuni, 2024).

Countries like Malaysia and Indonesia consistently rank among the top Muslim-friendly destinations due to their comprehensive halal tourism infrastructure and strategic destination branding (Shawaliah Hadir, 2025). These examples demonstrate how deliberate policy frameworks and marketing strategies can position destinations competitively within the halal tourism market.

The Maldives Advantage

The Maldives is widely recognised as one of the world’s premier luxury tourism destinations. With its pristine beaches, exclusive island resorts, and high-end hospitality services, the country has successfully positioned itself in the global tourism market.

Targeting travellers from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South Asia could strengthen the country’s tourism resilience and expand its global market reach.

However, the Maldivian tourism model has traditionally focused on luxury leisure tourism rather than niche segments such as halal tourism.

Ironically, the Maldives possesses several inherent advantages that align with halal tourism principles. As a 100 percent Muslim nation governed by Islamic principles, halal food availability and a culturally Islamic environment already exist within the country. These characteristics could potentially position the Maldives as a natural halal-friendly destination.

Despite these advantages, the tourism industry in the Maldives has not yet adopted a structured halal tourism strategy. Many resorts serve alcohol and pork and cater primarily to Western leisure travellers. While this model has been economically successful, it limits the country’s ability to fully tap into the growing Muslim travel market.

Developing halal tourism could diversify the Maldives’ tourism markets and reduce reliance on just the traditional source markets such as Europe and China. Targeting travellers from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South Asia could strengthen the country’s tourism resilience and expand its global market reach.

Challenges and Strategy Considerations

While halal tourism presents significant opportunities for the Maldives, several challenges must be addressed. One major challenge lies in balancing the existing resort tourism model with halal tourism requirements. Introducing halal-certified resorts, or Muslim-friendly tourism products must be carefully managed to avoid disrupting the current tourism ecosystem.

Despite being a 100 percent Muslim nation with a globally renowned tourism industry, the Maldives has yet to fully explore halal tourism as a strategic market segment.

Another challenge is the absence of standardised halal tourism certification systems within the country. Scholars note that the lack of internationally recognised standards for halal tourism has created ambiguity in the industry (Carboni et al., 2017). Establishing clear national guidelines and certification frameworks would therefore be crucial. The International Halal Tourism Organisation (IHTO) is a local NGO bringing a voice to halal tourism. Halal certification being considered as one of their mandates (IHTO, 2026), could potentially be a solid stepping stone for development of halal tourism in the Maldives.

Furthermore, successful halal tourism development requires collaboration among policymakers, tourism authorities, hospitality providers, and marketing agencies.

Integrated strategies involving infrastructure development, staff training, and international promotion would also be necessary to effectively attract Muslim travellers.

The Potential

Halal tourism represents one of the fastest-growing segments of the global tourism industry, driven by the expansion of Muslim travel markets and the demand for faith-based tourism experiences. Destinations around the world are increasingly adapting their tourism offerings to cater to Muslim travellers.

Despite being a 100 percent Muslim nation with a globally renowned tourism industry, the Maldives has yet to fully explore halal tourism as a strategic market segment. With its Islamic cultural identity, strong tourism infrastructure, and premium hospitality services, the Maldives possesses significant potential to develop halal-friendly tourism products.

By implementing appropriate policies, certification systems, and targeted marketing strategies, the Maldives could diversify its tourism offerings and capture a growing share of the global halal tourism market. Future considerations should examine consumer perceptions, market feasibility, and policy frameworks to guide the development of halal tourism in the Maldives.References

References

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Battour, M., & Ismail, M. N. (2016). Halal tourism: Concepts, practices, challenges and future. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19, 150–154.

Carboni, M., Perelli, C., & Sistu, G. (2017). Developing tourism products in line with Islamic beliefs: Some insights from Italy. Journal of Tourism Management.

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International Halal Tourism Organization. (2026). Mission and global halal tourism initiatives.

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Mastercard & CrescentRating. (2024). Global Muslim Travel Index 2024 report.

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Shawaliah Hadir, S. (2025). The potential and challenges of Islamic tourism sector in Malaysia.

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