How Big Is the Muslim Travel Market?
International Muslim arrivals reached 196 million in 2025, up 11.3% from 176 million in 2024, according to the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2026. Arrivals are projected to reach 208 million in 2026 and 262 million by 2030, when annual Muslim traveler expenditure is estimated at USD 310 billion.
- CrescentRating Research Team
- Last updated
- Source: GMTI 2026
- International Muslim arrivals2025 · actual
- 196 million
- Projected arrivalsby 2030 · projected
- 262 million
- Annual expenditure by 2030 · projected
- USD 310 billion
Every figure, with its year and status
| Figure | Value | Year | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Muslim arrivals | 176 million | 2024 | Actual | GMTI 2026 |
| International Muslim arrivals | 196 million | 2025 | Actual | GMTI 2026 |
| Year-on-year growth in arrivals | +11.3% | 2024→2025 | Actual | GMTI 2026 |
| International Muslim arrivals | 208 million | 2026 | Projected | GMTI 2026 |
| International Muslim arrivals | 262 million | 2030 | Projected | GMTI 2026 |
| Annual Muslim traveler expenditure | USD 310 billion | 2030 | Projected | GMTI 2026 |
| Destinations covered by the index | 150 | 2026 edition | Coverage | GMTI 2026 |
| Share of global Muslim arrivals covered | Over 98% | 2026 edition | Coverage | GMTI 2026 |
The baseline break marks the jump from 2026 to 2030. Source: GMTI 2026.
What the figures measure
- Unit
Arrivals count trips, not people
One traveler who makes three international trips in a year counts as three arrivals.
- Coverage
150 destinations
The index covers 150 destinations, which together receive over 98% of global Muslim arrivals.
- Data period
Cut-off: end of March 2026
GMTI 2026 uses data from 2025 and early 2026, with a cut-off at the end of March 2026.
- Projections
2026 and 2030 are projected
The 2026 and 2030 figures are projections based on the market’s growth trajectory over recent years. They are not forecasts of any single destination.
- Edition vs. reference year
“GMTI 2026” is the edition
Its latest actual figures refer to 2025.
- Source
Global Muslim Travel Index 2026
Published by Mastercard-CrescentRating in June 2026. Every figure on this page comes from this edition unless marked otherwise.
How the figures are produced
The GMTI combines CrescentRating’s own data, including historical and real-time data from the CR MAPS platform and earlier CrescentRating and HalalTrip research, with primary research, data modeling, expert panels, and standardized datasets from international bodies such as the United Nations, the World Bank, UN Tourism, UNESCO and the World Economic Forum.
Where a destination’s current-year data is not available, the index uses the most recent previous year. Where real-time data is missing, it applies three estimation methods in turn: trend projections from the destination’s own history, comparable destinations as proxies, and machine-learning models benchmarked against peer economies.
When real-time data is missing
- 01Trend projectionsfrom the destination’s own history
- 02Comparable destinationsused as proxies
- 03Machine-learning modelsbenchmarked against peer economies
Market size and destination scores are different measures
| Pillar | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| AAccess | 10% | Visa requirements, connectivity, transport infrastructure |
| CCommunications | 20% | Destination marketing, stakeholder awareness, heritage and experiences, communication proficiency |
| EEnvironment | 30% | Faith restrictions, general safety, sustainability, visitor arrivals, accessible travel, basic utilities |
| SServices | 40% | Prayer places, halal dining, Muslim-friendly airports, Muslim-friendly accommodations |
Where Muslim arrivals go
| Quadrant | Destinations | Muslim arrivals (approx.) | Share of 196M | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrailblazersHigh score, high arrival share | 27 | 119 million | ~61% | Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, UAE, Indonesia, Iran, Singapore |
| Emerging DestinationsLow score, high arrival share | 24 | 17 million | ~9% | — |
| Potential LeadersHigh score, low arrival share | 17 | 22 million | ~12% | Albania, Morocco, Thailand, Hong Kong, Maldives, United Kingdom |
| Untapped PotentialLow score, low arrival share | 82 | 37.5 million | ~19% | Canada, Poland, Chile |
GMTI 2026 rankings at a glance
OIC destinations
- #1Malaysia83Score
- #2IndonesiaShares #279Score
- #2Saudi ArabiaShares #279Score
- #2TürkiyeShares #279Score
Non-OIC destinations
- #1Singapore#10 overall73Score
- #2Hong Kong64Score
- #3TaiwanShares #359Score
- #3United KingdomShares #359Score
Some scores were evaluated before the conflict in the Middle East, as stated in the report.
Full GMTI 2026 rankings of all 150 destinations →What is driving the market
| Driver | Figure | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Muslim population | 2.22 billion → 2.57 billion | 2026 → 2036 | GMTI 2026 |
| Share of Muslims under 40 | ~70% (median age 25–27) | 2026 | GMTI 2026 |
| Muslim women travelers | 90 million, or 48% of Muslim arrivals | 2026 edition | GMTI 2026 |
| Muslim sports-event travel spend | USD 21 billion | 2030 (projected) | GMTI 2026 / Muslim-Friendly Sports Tourism Report 2026 |
Travelers are shifting toward AI assistants to plan their trips. That makes structured, machine-readable destination data a competitive factor.
Travel figures are not halal economy figures
The GMTI measures travel: international Muslim arrivals and traveler spending. It does not measure the wider halal economy, such as halal food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, modest fashion or Islamic finance. Those sectors are sized by other researchers using different methods, and their totals are considerably larger than travel alone. If a figure includes food, cosmetics or finance, it is not a Muslim travel market figure.
Rating and accreditation of travel services is also separate from halal product certification. A Crescent Rated hotel and a halal-certified food producer are assessed against different criteria by different bodies.
In the GMTI figures
International Muslim arrivals
Muslim traveler spending
Not in the GMTI figures
- Halal food
- Cosmetics
- Pharmaceuticals
- Modest fashion
- Islamic finance
How to cite these figures
Citation
Mastercard-CrescentRating, Global Muslim Travel Index 2026, June 2026. https://crescentrating.com/insights/muslim-travel-market
- 01Cite the edition year (GMTI 2026) and state the reference year of the figure (for example, “196 million arrivals in 2025”).
- 02Label projections as projections.
- 03The Indonesia Muslim Travel Index (IMTI) is a separate publication with its own methodology. Do not cite IMTI figures as GMTI figures, or the reverse.
Questions about the Muslim travel market
How big is the halal travel market?
In 2025 there were 196 million international Muslim arrivals, up 11.3% year on year (GMTI 2026). Arrivals are projected to reach 262 million by 2030, with annual expenditure of USD 310 billion.
How many Muslim travelers are there?
GMTI counts arrivals, meaning trips rather than individual travelers. There were 196 million international Muslim arrivals in 2025.
How much do Muslim travelers spend?
Annual Muslim traveler expenditure is projected to reach USD 310 billion by 2030 (GMTI 2026).
What is the Global Muslim Travel Index?
It is an annual index published by CrescentRating with Mastercard, now in its 12th year of collaboration. It sizes the Muslim travel market and scores 150 destinations on the ACES framework.
Which destination is the most Muslim-friendly?
Malaysia ranks #1 in GMTI 2026 with a score of 83. Singapore is the top non-OIC destination.
Is the halal travel market the same as the halal economy?
No. Travel figures cover arrivals and traveler spending only. They do not include halal food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, modest fashion or Islamic finance.
Changelog
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| Page published with GMTI 2026 figures |
Updated in place at every GMTI release. The address of this page does not change.
Read the full GMTI 2026 report
The Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index 2026: rankings, ACES scores and the market analysis behind these figures.