The UAE has held onto sixth place among the world's top destinations for Muslim travellers, scoring 75 points in the newly released Global Muslim Travel Index and landing once again in the Trailblazers category reserved for the industry's leading 27 destinations.
The 11th edition of the report, produced by Mastercard and CrescentRating, arrives at a moment of rapid change for the sector. International Muslim arrivals are expected to climb to 208 million this year from 196 million in 2025, with projections pointing to 262 million travellers and $310 billion in spending by 2030. The index assessed 150 destinations covering more than 98% of global Muslim visitor traffic using its Access, Communications, Environment and Services framework.
For the UAE, strong air and land connectivity, efficient public transit and streamlined visa policies remain key strengths. The country also posted a perfect score of 100 for halal dining and prayer space availability, cementing its reputation for catering to Muslim visitors.
Artificial intelligence emerged as a defining theme this year, with 80% of surveyed travellers now using AI tools to plan trips, find halal food, locate prayer facilities and compare transport options. The report warns that destinations failing to digitise their Muslim-friendly offerings risk disappearing from AI-driven recommendations altogether, regardless of what they offer on the ground.
The UAE was singled out for its multilingual services, including trained staff, dedicated tourism portals and clear transit signage catering largely to Arabic and English speakers.
The report also flagged a broader shift toward regional travel, as travellers respond to fuel costs, security concerns and geopolitical tensions by choosing closer, more predictable destinations over long-haul routes. This year's index introduced a new Destination Activation Stack model, combining the ACES framework with two additional tools measuring traveller experience and booking confidence.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
