Thailand is urged to improve Muslim-friendly facilities and services to capture growth in this tourism market. Varuth Hirunyatheb
Thailand should improve Muslim-friendly facilities and services, implement a recognised accreditation system and ensure clearer, more consistent policies to attract more Muslim travellers, according to a travel specialist.CrescentRating and Mastercard's Global Muslim Travel Index 2026 show Thailand ranked fifth among destinations outside the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), down from second place during 2015-2019.
Fazal Bahardeen, chief executive of CrescentRating and HalalTrip, said the decline reflected stronger competition rather than Thailand losing ground, as other destinations accelerated efforts to attract Muslim travellers.
Thailand's performance remained relatively stable over the past decade, with its score improving in recent years as the country strengthened its post-pandemic tourism infrastructure, he said.
The ranking reflected stronger competition from destinations such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, which have made significant investments in Muslim-friendly services, hospitality standards and visitor experiences.
