With the global Muslim travel market on track to reach 262 million international arrivals and USD 310 billion in travel expenditure by 2030, the tourism sector is navigating a pivotal turning point. As market volume, consumer expectations, and demographic influence expand worldwide, global tourism stakeholders face a critical question: Is the travel industry truly keeping pace?
At the Halal in Travel Global Summit (HITGS) 2026, a high-level opening teaser session titled “Designing the Future of Travel Through Inclusivity & Innovation” set the tone for the summit's strategic agenda. Moderated by Raudha Zaini (Director of Operations at CrescentRating & HalalTrip), the panel featured two prominent industry visionaries:
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Dr. Nur Hafihz Noor, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at James Cook University Singapore & CrescentRating Halal Travel Scholar of the Year (2025)
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Dr. Jens Thraenhart, International Tourism Strategist, Founder & CEO of Chameleon Strategies, and Board Member of UN Tourism Affiliate Members
Together, the panelists previewed key research frontiers—spanning artificial intelligence, trust automation, and the launch of the landmark Asian Outbound Traveler Behavior Handbook.
AI and Trust Automation: Closing the Knowledge Gap
Dr. Nur Hafihz Noor, a leading scholar in services marketing, AI service robots, and Halal markets, outlined how artificial intelligence is reshaping destination discovery and brand trust:
The Knowledge Gap
Dr. Hafizah identified the primary friction point currently frustrating the market as the "knowledge gap", which is the disconnect between what tourism managers assume Muslim travelers want versus what faith-conscious travelers actually seek.
Demonstrating AI Trustworthiness
As travel planning shifts toward digital delegation, brands must deploy AI systems not merely for basic chatbot assistance, but to establish unassailable data trust. Generative AI and machine-readable data architectures allow travel brands to pre-validate faith-essential amenities upfront, eliminating booking hesitation.
Unveiling the Asian Outbound Traveler Behavior Handbook
Highlighting a major milestone at HITGS 2026, Dr. Jens Thraenhart previewed a collaborative initiative developed alongside CrescentRating CEO Fazal Bahardeen under the UN Tourism Affiliate Members network: the Asian Outbound Traveler Behavior Handbook.
Born out of conversations at the UN Tourism General Assembly in Riyadh, this handbook analyzes 26 Asian source markets—a comprehensive scope that has never been undertaken before. Designed specifically for practitioners, hotel chains, tourism boards, and retail operators, it provides a 400-page operational manual alongside a 60-page executive summary and an interactive trends hub to help destinations understand and capture Asian outbound flows. Dr. Thraenhart detailed the strategic vision behind the project:
“While most UN Tourism Affiliate Members are in Europe, there is huge potential for non-governmental or ministerial organizations in Asia to collaborate and connect with the public sector. We realized: What is the world really looking to learn, especially in a time of geopolitical challenges, AI, climate change, and sustainability? There is still a big gap in understanding Asian outbound markets. Probably 80%+ of Asian outbound travelers are connected to Muslim travel ecosystems when you look at Indonesia, West Asia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Kuwait, etc.”
Addressing why many non-OIC destinations historically overlooked faith-conscious Asian travelers, Dr. Thraenhart attributed it to a "knowledge and fear gap." When hotel operators or convention bureaus lack structured training, uncertainty around dietary requirements or room amenities causes them to retreat into familiar market segments rather than tapping into high-yield Muslim travel flows.
Looking to 2050: What the Future Holds
To conclude the opening session, Raudha Zaini posed a rapid-fire question: By the year 2050, when the industry has fully integrated Muslim-friendly travel, what will have changed?
From Faith-Based Specialization to Industry Norm
Dr. Hafihz envisioned a future where basic faith needs are normalized and industry discussions have advanced on experience curation and technological innovation. He mentioned,
“I think the one thing that would have changed is that we no longer necessarily talk about "faith-based needs" as a special category—it will have become the norm across brands, allowing us to talk more about pure innovation and experience.”
Passion-Led & Transformative Travel
Dr. Thraenhart predicted a fundamental shift in destination marketing away from rigid demographic segmentation toward "Passion Tourism." Travel in 2050 will be driven by personal fulfillment, emotional connection, and niche interests—such as stargazing, calligraphy, or eco-stewardship—where personal values and faith-friendly infrastructure harmonize seamlessly.
A Step Towards a More Inclusive and Innovative Tourism
The global Muslim travel market is far more sophisticated than traditional industry frameworks acknowledge. By bridging the knowledge gap through agentic AI data visibility, practitioner-focused research like the Asian Outbound Traveler Behavior Handbook, and inclusive service design, global tourism leaders can transform traveler expectations into long-term commercial success.
Hear what the experts say on making the future travel more inclusive and innovative here.
