Do you like to travel? Do you know how to make travel plans? Or have you ever wanted to solo-travel before? Well maybe you can learn a thing or two from Muslim women as they are avid travellers, too!
Photo: Mastercard-CresentRating
In a recent report released by Mastercard and CrescentRating, out of 140 million international Muslim travellers in 2018, an estimated 63 million were female Muslim travellers who spent over US80 billion dollars on their journeys. While most decide to travel with families (71%) over a quarter of Muslim women are solo travellers!
While some of us may choose to relax and let our parents or partners to plan the trip, this is not the case for many Muslim women. In this study, Muslim women were found to have as much influence in planning trips, especially when it comes to travelling with their families or spouses.
So, what do Muslim women seek for when deciding their travelling plans? For starters, since most of them travel with families, a family friendly attraction would be ideal (we’re thinking Disneyland!).
Next, religious amenities is also seen as a necessity for their trips. According to the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), Malaysia tops the ranks as the perfect Muslim destination for eight consecutive years mainly due to the many Muslim travel services (halal food, prayer spaces and recreational spaces with privacy etc.) that we have here. Yay Malaysia!
Last but not least, we have heard and seen countless stories online of Muslim women facing hate crimes and prejudices because of their religion. Hence, while safety is a primary concern for many travellers, the rising of Islamophobia across the globe makes safety a more crucial aspect to consider when planning for their travels.
It looks like Muslim women know what they are talking about when it comes to travelling. Maybe next time we’re planning a trip, we can find our Muslim girlfriends and learn how it’s done!
By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
