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HALAL TOURISM IN BANGLADESH: ASSESSING HOSPITALITY SECTOR READINESS FOR INTERNATIONAL MUSLIM TRAVELERS

Students & Supervisors

Student Authors
Sadi Mohammad Meraj
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Engineering, FACULTY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Arizit Chaki Artha
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Engineering, FACULTY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Supervisors
Md. Mortuza Ahmmed
Associate Professor, Faculty, FACULTY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Due to the increasing number of Muslims, increasing mobility, and purchasing power of Muslims, Halal tourism has become one of the fastest-growing sub-segments of the global travel industry. This analysis aims to assess the level of readiness of the hospitality industry to accommodate international Muslim tourists in Bangladesh by looking at longitudinal data from 1995 to 2024 on some variables, such as the number of incoming visitors, as well as the number of Halal certified resorts, income generated from tourism, and the Readiness Country Index for international tourism. Bangladesh is experiencing a significant increase in the total number of Muslim visitors, from approximately 80,000 in 1995 to approximately 900,000 in 2024. The number of halal licensed hotels/resorts increased from just 5 in 1995 to more than 420 in 2024. Ultimately, tourism revenue generated from halal tourism is expected to increase from $70 million in 1995 to $620 million in 2024. The index for the readiness of the tourism sector to accommodate the Islamic faith shows a level of improved performance over the period, growing incrementally from 35 to 88. The results support the notion that a high positive correlation exists between the measures adopted to improve the Islamic facilities in the tourism sector, the penetration of Muslim tourists, and tourism earnings. Sources for calibration and benchmarking for data used in the CrescentRating and Mastercard Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) for Halal Tourism Readiness, World Tourism Organization of the United Nations (UNWTO) for global trends for Muslims traveling internationally. Overall, it can be concluded that Bangladesh holds a very promising level of Halal Tourism Readiness, yet alignment of policies, uniform certification, employee training, and global positioning for competitive positioning within Halal Tourism globally.

Keywords

Readiness Revenue Muslim tourists GMTI UNWTO

Publication Details

  • Type of Publication:
  • Conference Name: RMSTU National Tourism Conference 2026 - "Tourism Tomorrow: Nature's Next fleck to explore"
  • Date of Conference: 16/01/2026 - 16/01/2026
  • Venue: Rangamati Science and Technology University, Rangamati Sadar, Rangamati-4500, Bangladesh
  • Organizer: Rangamati Science and Technology University
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