Lawmaker highlights gaps in city’s Muslim-friendly tourism

Macau marked a notable step in Muslim-friendly tourism by appearing for the first time in the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2025.

The city ranked 16th overall as a “Muslim-Friendly Travel Destination” and achieved fifth place as a “Muslim Women-Friendly Destination.”

However, lawmakers and industry experts emphasize that the city still faces significant challenges in fully catering to Muslim visitors.

Lawmaker Ho Ion Sang recently sought detailed updates from the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) on efforts to improve Muslim-friendly services, acknowledging recent progress in the sector but stressed there is still much to be done. In a written inquiry to the Legislative Assembly (AL), the lawmaker stated,

“In 2025, Macau ranked for the first time in the ‘Global Muslim Travel Index’[…] This marks certain progress Macau has made in attracting Muslim visitors.”

Despite this, he highlighted key areas needing improvement, including the availability of halal restaurants, prayer rooms, and culturally tailored activities to maintain this momentum.

Ho’s key questions addressed whether incentives would be offered to encourage more halal certification among food establishments, if hotel sectors would be urged to upgrade Muslim-friendly facilities such as prayer rooms and halal-compliant accommodations, and whether cooperation with local Islamic communities would be strengthened to develop Muslim-friendly festivals and tours.

The lawmaker also inquired about plans to expand public prayer facilities in major public spaces like museums, parks, and hospitals, as well as the possibility of launching a dedicated Muslim-friendly tourism webpage.

In response, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna stated that licensing for hospitality and dining has no legal restrictions concerning Muslim-friendly amenities.

“The bureau approves hotel and catering licence applications according to law, and there are no legal restrictions on installing prayer facilities or halal-compliant hardware,” Senna wrote.

On promotion and services targeted at Muslim visitors, MGTO cited existing resources like the “Macao for Muslim Travelers Halal Travel Guide” and a halal food section on the official tourism website, which currently lists seven halal-certified restaurants.

Senna also reported “ongoing discussions with the Hong Kong Islamic community to introduce halal certification measures” suited for Macau’s food businesses, covering halal restaurants, halal kitchen dining, and halal-friendly eateries.

Regarding future plans for tourism information, the tourism head wrote that MGTO is working on expanding online information about Muslim-friendly hotels and halal souvenirs to facilitate better travel planning for this subgroup of tourists.

The Muslim tourist market offers a promising opportunity for future growth due to its large and lucrative numbers. The Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) projects that by 2028 there will be 230 million Muslim tourists worldwide. This group is projected to “contribute significantly to the travel industry,” with estimated expenditures reaching USD225 billion.