The country’s drive to court Muslim travelers picked up fresh momentum this month after the Department of Tourism (DOT) confirmed a Top 5 placement for the Philippines among non-OIC destinations in the 2026 Mastercard CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index, a benchmark that ranks how well countries cater to faith-based travel needs.
Mindanao drew its own distinction in the same report, earning recognition as the Most Promising Muslim-Friendly Region outside the bloc of Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states. The Philippines also landed within the global Top 10 for the index’s Communications category.
Much of the country’s progress has been measured in beds. According to the DOT, halal-certified accommodation establishments have grown to roughly 70 nationwide in 2026, a sharp climb from the 17 counted in 2024, with additional properties still moving through inspection and certification. Hotels and resorts have meanwhile been folding in halal-compliant kitchens, dedicated prayer areas, staff training and other services tailored to Muslim guests.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay framed the recognition as proof of a broader economic bet, speaking at the opening of SALAAM: The Halal Tourism and Trade Expo Philippines 2026. She positioned faith-based tourism as central to the government’s plans for growth, investment and inclusive development.
“The Halal economy extends far beyond food certification. It encompasses tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, logistics, retail, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and financial services that collectively serve nearly two billion consumers worldwide,” she said.
“Halal tourism is not a niche or side market but a growing global economy that we are now engaging more deliberately. It connects tourism to agriculture, hospitality to manufacturing, and local communities to global markets,” Angara-Mathay added.
The scale of that market helps explain the urgency. Industry projections cited in the GMTI report point to as many as 262 million Muslim international arrivals worldwide and an estimated $310 billion in annual spending by 2030. Arab News reported that Muslim arrivals reached 196 million in 2025 and are forecast to hit 208 million this year, a pace the index described as having outrun earlier linear estimates.
Among the examples the tourism chief pointed to was Megaworld Hotels and Resorts’ Marhaba Boracay, a beach cove set up specifically for Muslim guests, which she offered as a sign that such offerings are moving into the mainstream of Philippine hospitality rather than sitting on its margins.
Angara-Mathay also pressed the case for closer regional ties, citing the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area and the deep cultural and trade links binding communities across Mindanao, Sulu, Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia. Aligning halal standards, certification systems and training across those borders, she said, would help build a more connected regional halal economy and smoother travel across Southeast Asia.
Now in its third edition, SALAAM functions as the DOT’s main vehicle for advancing halal and Muslim-friendly tourism, gathering players from the tourism, trade, investment and cultural sectors. This year’s run continues through 21 June at the Upper Ground Floor of Gateway Mall 2 in Araneta City.
