The annual Halal in Travel (HIT) Awards, organized by the industry authority on halal tourism CrescentRating and online consumer platform HalalTrip, have highlighted the growing efforts of non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations to cater to Muslim travelers. In a significant achievement, Hong Kong has been named the Most Promising Muslim-friendly Destination of The Year.
Hong Kong’s hospitality organizations swept up an impressive five trophies in the HIT Muslim-Friendly Service Provider Awards category. Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong was named Muslim-friendly Hotel of The Year; The Mira Hong Kong was named Muslim-friendly Hotel of The Year; Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was named Muslim-Friendly Convention & Exhibition Centre of The Year; Ngong Ping 360, Hong Kong was named Muslim-friendly Attraction of The Year; and Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong was recognized for its Outstanding Contribution to Hong Kong’s Halal Dining Landscape.
Liew Chian Jia, regional director of Southeast Asia at the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), stated: “Since our Muslim-friendly push, HKTB has seen an increasing interest and participation in CrescentRating’s accreditation programme among the Hong Kong stakeholders. To support this initiative within the South-east Asia region, we have rolled out a dedicated Muslim campaign named, Jelajah Hong Kong, that showcases Muslim-friendly experiences for ease of trip planning. We will continue efforts to elevate Hong Kong’s position as a popular Muslim-friendly destination.”
In the HIT HalalTrip Travelers Choice Awards category, Switzerland Tourism’s destination campaign with Buttonscarves, an Indonesian premium scarf and headscarf brand, won the Halal Travel Marketing Campaign of The Year award.
The Taipei City Government was also recognized as the Muslim Women Friendly City Destination of The Year. This accolade follows Taipei City’s previous win as the Most Promising Muslim-friendly City Destination of The Year (non-OIC) in the HIT Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) Awards 2023.
Furthermore, the naming of Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar, undersecretary of the Philippine Department of Tourism, as HIT’s Halal Travel Personality of The Year is a testament to the Philippines’ steady emergence as a hot favorite among Muslim travelers. The Philippines has climbed four spots to reach the 8th position in the GMTI 2025 ranking of Top 20 Non-OIC destinations.
The only other title holder so far is Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, who was recognized in 2022 as the former minister of tourism and creative economy of Indonesia.
