MasterCard-CrescentRatingGlobal Muslim Travel Index 2016By MasterCard The Future of the Global Muslim Population; Washington, DC USA, Pew ResearchKey drivers of Muslim travel market growthPopulation growthGrowing middle class Younger populationIncreasing access to travel informationIncreasing availability of Muslim-friendly travel services and facilitiesGrowing middle class / Disposable income: The middle class in countries with large Muslim populations are increasing. These include Gulf countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Nigeria and Bangladesh. The 2nd and 3rd generation of Muslims in Western Europe and North America are also becoming highly educated and entering the professional work force. All of this is increasing the disposable income of a large Muslim consumer base.Younger population: According to Pew research, “Muslims are also the youngest (median age of 23 years old in 2010) of all major religious groups, seven years younger than the median age of non-Muslims.” They are better informed and are actively inuencing the travel planning of their family holidays. Increasing access to travel information: The proliferation of Internet access coupled with high penetration of smartphones have made travel planning easier in general. Muslim majority countries such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the top countries when it comes to smartphone penetration. A younger more technology-savvy population also means more Muslims are active on social media and use it to get information.Increasing availability of Muslim-friendly travel services and facilities: The last few years have seen many businesses and destinations beginning to adapt their products and services to cater to Muslim travelers. This has meant that there is an increasing availability of Muslim-friendly services. Halal food is available in many major cities now.45The prole of the Muslim traveler has often been over-simplied in the past. A few years ago, outbound Muslim travel was primarily focused on a few specic destinations while other destinations did not possess an adequate understanding of the requirements of Muslim travelers.The behavior and the prole of Muslim travelers have changed over the last two decades. They are increasingly looking at destinations with high levels of services which take into account their unique needs. They are also looking at destinations which are safe for Muslims, as both real and perceived safety have become a high priority. A few destinations namely Malaysia, Dubai and Turkey have been able to benet from this changing behavior, as they have begun to oer Muslim travelers accommodation, facilities and services that cater to their needs.The Muslim TravelerFaith-based needs of Muslim TravelersSix faith-based needs are identied as the main areas for Muslim travelers. While the majority of Muslim travelers adhere to some of these needs, the level of importance varies among Muslims. Halal Food: Halal food is by far the most important service that a Muslim traveler looks out for when traveling. Acceptability of the dierent levels of Halal food assurance varies among Muslims. The acceptability also varies depending on the region the Muslim travelers are coming from. Having food outlets with proper Halal assurance that is easily identiable is the preferred option sought by Muslim visitors from Southeast Asia and Western Europe.Key faith-based needs of muslim travelersHalal FoodPrayer facilities Ramadhan servicesWater-friendly washroomsNo non-Halal activitiesRecreational facilities The Future of the Global Muslim Population; Washington, DC USA67Ramadhan Services: Although Muslims are less likely to travel during the month of Ramadhan, there are still many looking to spend this time away from home, especially if this period coincides with school holidays. In addition, an increasing number of Muslims take holiday breaks during the two Muslim festivals. Destinations looking to attract Muslim travelers during this period need to be able to accomodate their special needs during the month of fasting. One such example is the catering of pre-dawn Halal meals by hotels.No Non-Halal Activities: Muslims consider some activities to be Haram or non-Halal. When it comes to traveling, these are generally centered on requiring a family-friendly environment. As such, some Muslims would prefer to avoid facilities that serve alcohol, have discotheques or is adjacent to a gambling resort. Recreational Facilities and Services with Privacy: A sub-segment of Muslim travelers are also looking for recreational facilities that provide privacy for males and females. These include the following:Swimming pools and gyms that provide privacy for male and female use.Beaches, which provide areas for males and females to enjoy in privacy.Segmentation of Muslim Travelers Based on Faith-Based Needs: Muslim travelers are not homogeneous in their adherence to the faith-based needs discussed above. In order to cater to these needs from a services perspective, service providers can look at grouping these needs into “Need to have”, Good to have” and “Nice to have”. Halal food servicesSalaath (prayer) facilitiesWater-usage friendly washroomsRamadhan (fasting) services & facilitiesNo non-Halal activitiesRecreational facilities and servicesNeed to haveGood to haveNice to have8