US$180 billion Muslim Travel Market set to dominate ITB Asia 2018

By 2020, it is expected that there will be 156 million Muslim travellers, growing nearly 30% since 2016.[1] By 2026, the estimated total purchase by Muslim travellers is expected to rise to US$ 300 billion[2], which is more than double in volume over a decade. Muslim travel is thus an important focus for ITB Asia this year as key players in the travel and tourism space are demanding insights and best practice in marketing destinations, and how to better connect with Muslim travellers. The third Halal in Travel Asia Summit on 17 October will focus on the key theme of ‘Innovation & Technology in the Muslim Travel Space’. The conference will kick off with the official release of the Mastercard-Halal Trip Digital Muslim Travel Report (DMTR) 2018, revealing the latest insights and in-depth analysis into the Muslim travel market and behaviours when it comes to trip planning research and engagement in the digital space. Keynote speeches, interactive panel discussions and detailed presentations will discuss hot topics including how to invest in Halal travel and developing the Halal travel market in the service and destination sectors. For the three full days, the dedicated Muslim Travel Hub will offer panels, showcases and important discussions on Halal travel. Key topics covered include how to attract Muslim travellers to destinations throughout the year, how to further develop the growing Muslim travel market, and develop Muslim-friendly travel packages. Supplementing this and located in the same area will be the Muslim Travel Pavilion, dedicated to exhibitors that offer Muslim travel products and services. The Pavilion will play host to various talks on how to win over millions of Muslim visitors, happy trails with travel apps and addressing Muslim traveller anxieties. ITB Asia’s key partner, Have Halal Will Travel, will host a conference on 17 October from 2 – 5pm for the second year running at the Muslim Travel Pavilion, endorsing the show with strong content on this specific area. “Have Halal, Will Travel is excited to be a content partner for ITB Asia 2018. With a reach of 9.1M Muslims across Asia and major collaborations with tourism boards, airlines and consumer mega brands, we have an unparalleled view of the changing Muslim travel market. We’re excited to share these insights to help governments and brands connect opportunities, drive change and shape the future of the Muslim travel market,” shared Mikhail Goh, CEO of Have Halal, Will Travel. Encouraging exhibitors and destinations to showcase their Muslim travel products and services, ITB Asia’s Muslim Travel Hub is proud to host various showcases from Indonesia, Japan and Turkey, looking at topics such as ‘Targeting US$126 billion Muslim tourism market with cultural changes’ from Indonesia, ‘Making Muslims feel at home’ from Japan, and ‘Travelling in style’ from Turkey. “CrescentRating is excited to partner with ITB Asia on the third Halal in Travel Asia Summit 2018. Following the successful launch of our Muslim Millennial Travel Report in ITB Asia 2017, we look forward to releasing the Digital Muslim Travel Report by HalalTrip and Mastercard at this year’s conference on 18 October. The Muslim Travel Market is moving into the next stage of growth driven by Millennials and the digital space. The findings will reveal insights into the overall behavior of Muslim travelers during their trip planning research and engagement in the online space. You can expect industry experts in the Muslim Travel Space who will share intelligence in innovation, technology and policy,” said Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of CrescentRating and HalalTrip. For more information on ITB Asia 2018, visit www.itb-asia.com.