Representative ImageMastercard and CrescentRating have unveiled the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026 (GMTI 2026), revealing that 80% of travellers now utilise artificial intelligence (AI) tools for planning their journeys. This shift underscores the importance of digital visibility for destinations offering Muslim-friendly services. The report highlights that destinations failing to digitise their offerings risk exclusion from AI-driven recommendation systems, regardless of their physical infrastructure.
Malaysia maintains its position as the top Muslim-friendly destination, whilst Indonesia has climbed to joint second alongside Türkiye and Saudi Arabia. Singapore leads among non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations, with Hong Kong rising to second place. The report identifies South-Eastern Asia as a key travel corridor, with travellers prioritising safety, proximity, and predictability amid global volatility.
The GMTI 2026 evaluates 150 destinations, representing over 98% of global Muslim visitor arrivals, using the ACES framework—Access, Communications, Environment, and Services. It introduces a focus on AI readiness, digital visibility, and smart destination infrastructure. Aisha Islam, Senior Vice President at Mastercard, stated, “Muslim travel is being reshaped by digital trust, seamless access, and the need for greater certainty across the journey.”
The report also introduces the Destination Activation Stack, integrating the ACES, RIDA, and TRUST frameworks to help destinations transition from readiness to real-time activation. Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of CrescentRating, emphasised the need for destinations to adapt, stating, “Modern travellers are looking for certainty before they step onto a plane, and they are increasingly delegating that validation process to intelligent systems.”
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