SINGAPORE, 31 August 2026 — In a strategic move to position the destination as a premier faith-compatible hub in the region, CrescentRating has officially entered into a cooperation framework through the signing of two pivotal Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in Singapore yesterday. The agreements were signed between CrescentRating, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), and key Macao Tourism Associations.
The signing ceremony marks a formal milestone in Macao’s multi-layered strategy to diversify its international visitor source markets and build an inclusive and sustainable tourism ecosystem tailored to the evolving needs of global Muslim travelers.
Purpose of the MoUs
The primary purpose of the MoUs is to establish a comprehensive framework of institutional cooperation between CrescentRating, the public sector (MGTO), and the local tourism trade associations. By aligning global Muslim travel benchmarks with Macao’s unique East-meets-West multicultural heritage, the partnership seeks to accelerate destination readiness, enhance service quality, and elevate Macao’s global visibility among faith-conscious consumer segments.
8 Key Areas of Strategic Cooperation
The two MoUs delineate a shared roadmap focused on eight integrated pillars of destination development:
-
Destination Research & Ecosystem Analysis: Conducting deep-dive audits of Macao’s tourism assets, supply chain infrastructure, and visitor touchpoints to identify operational gaps and high-yield growth corridors.
-
Training & Capacity Building: Rolling out specialized Halal hospitality masterclasses and cultural sensitivity training programs for frontline hospitality staff, tour guides, and venue managers.
-
Rating & Accreditation: Implementing CrescentRating’s globally recognized rating and certification standards across Macao’s hotels, restaurants, attractions, and MICE venues.
-
Governance & Progress-Tracking Platform: Establishing structured monitoring frameworks and digital dashboards to track compliance, service upgrades, and accreditation milestones in real time.
-
Halal in Travel Events & Thought Leadership: Facilitating Macao’s active participation in global industry summits, workshops, and international panels to showcase the city's readiness to travel trade leaders.
-
Marketing & Digital Visibility: Deploying targeted content campaigns, downloadable visitor guides, and algorithm-ready metadata to ensure Macao's Muslim-friendly assets are discoverable across digital and AI discovery channels.
-
Data & Insights Sharing: Leveraging proprietary intelligence—such as the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) data layers—to inform evidence-based policymaking and commercial strategies.
-
Joint Promotion & Mutual Visitation: Organizing cross-border trade roadshows, familiarization trips (fam trips) for Muslim travel agents and media, and bilateral promotional initiatives across key source markets.
Macao’s Ascending Commitment to the Muslim Travel Economy
The signing of these MoUs underscores Macao’s long-term commitment to capturing high-value international Muslim travelers from Southeast Asia (such as Indonesia and Malaysia), the Middle East (GCC), and Western diaspora communities.
With the global Muslim travel market scaling rapidly—projected to reach 262 million international arrivals and USD 310 billion in annual expenditure by 2030—Macao is proactively adapting its world-class hospitality infrastructure to ensure seamless comfort, safety, and dining assurance for faith-conscious visitors.
Macao has demonstrated consistent upward momentum in global benchmarks:
-
In the Mastercard-CrescentRating GMTI 2026, Macao secured a score of 50 out of 100, holding steady among the top 15 non-OIC destinations worldwide.
-
In the Muslim-Friendly Accessible Destinations ranking, Macao achieved 4th place globally among non-OIC destinations, driven by its barrier-free public infrastructure, modern transport networks, and integrated resort amenities.
-
In the Muslim Women-Friendly Destinations category, Macao continues to achieve high marks for personal safety, universal respect, and privacy-conscious environments.
A Commitment to Develop Macao’s Muslim-Friendly Tourism
By combining government leadership from MGTO with private-sector trade alignment and CrescentRating’s global accreditation expertise, Macao is translating its vision of inclusive tourism into actionable and certified reality. This partnership establishes a solid foundation to ensure that as the next generation of Muslim travelers explores the world, Macao stands ready to welcome them with excellence, dignity, and unassailable trust.
