A recent study by DinarStandard, Global Muslim Lifestyle Travel Market: Landscape & Consumer Needs, shows the Muslim tourist market growing 4.8 percent through 2020 (compared to a global number of of 3.8 percent) and Muslim tourist spending to reach $192 billion (13.4 percent of total global expenditure) by the same year. Already a major tourism market, the Muslim tourism industry comprised 12.3 percent of the worldwide industry in 2011, spending over $126 billion - figures that outstrip Germany and almost double China's numbers from that year.
The study lists the top destinations for Muslin travelers, in descending order: Malaysia, Turkey, the UAE, Singapore, Russia, China France, Thailand and Italy.
Rafi-uddin Shikoh, Managing Director of DinarStandard, says, "Muslim tourists may very well be the largest un-tapped niche market of the tourism Industry. Airlines, destinations and hotels/resorts can benefit tremendously by catering to the unique Muslim lifestyle travel drivers of Halal food, family friendly environments, religious practices accommodation, gender relation nuances, and other areas."
For more detailed info on the preferences and priorities of these travelers, please read the entire article in The Journal of Turkish Weekly.