Philippines Emerges as a Top Destination for Muslim Travelers

The Philippines is no longer a quiet contender in the Muslim-friendly tourism space — it is actively staking its claim as one of the most welcoming destinations for Muslim travellers in all of Asia. With a surge in halal-certified infrastructure, targeted workforce training, and deepening regional partnerships, the country is making rapid moves that the global travel industry is beginning to notice. Philippines Climbs the Global Muslim Travel Index The most telling signal of this shift came with the release of the 2025 Global Muslim Travel Index by Mastercard-CrescentRating, which placed the Philippines eighth among non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member destinations worldwide. For a country that is predominantly Christian, breaking into the top ten of such a prestigious index signals something far beyond token gestures — it reflects a deliberate, government-backed strategy that is clearly bearing fruit. The Department of Tourism (DoT) has been the driving force behind this transformation, rolling out a comprehensive framework that touches every layer of the Muslim traveller experience — from where visitors sleep and eat, to how they pray and how well they are understood by local service providers. Halal Infrastructure Is Growing Fast Across the Archipelago One of the most concrete markers of progress is the DoT’s Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Establishment (MFAE) programme, under which 67 accommodation establishments across the country have now received formal recognition. The milestone does not stop there. Megaworld Hotels & Resorts has become the first hotel group in the Philippines to achieve full MFAE recognition across all its properties — a landmark achievement that sets a new benchmark for the hospitality sector nationwide.