The Intersection of Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Sports

Authors

  • Ashsyamim Ahmad Rosy International Islamic University of Malaysia
  • Betania Kartika Muflih
  • Nur Shuhadah Mohd

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36877/jhis.a0000609

Abstract

With the continuous growth of the global Muslim population, there has been a noticeable increase in demand for travel experiences that respect and reflect Islamic values. However, limited research has explored how these values intersect with the sports tourism sector. This paper seeks to fill that gap by examining how sports-related travel can be made more accessible and welcoming for Muslim tourists. Relying on a qualitative approach rooted in library-based research, the study reviews academic literature, industry publications and policy documents to understand current practices and potential improvements. The analysis points to several crucial factors such as the availability of halal food, spaces for prayer, gender-sensitive facilities, and compliance with Shariah guidelines that are essential for creating a Muslim-friendly sports tourism experience. Ultimately, the paper offers a conceptual framework that can guide destinations and event organizers in designing inclusive and faith-conscious sports tourism offerings. By doing so, it highlights the potential of this niche to grow as a meaningful part of the global tourism industry, encouraging inclusivity while respecting religious values.

References

Ab Rahman, S., & Laderlah, A. (2018). Exploring Islamic tourism in Malaysia. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 8(9), 735–743. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.1.2018.89.735.743

Abas, A., Ramli, N., & Zawawi, M. (2017). Muslim friendly hospitality services: Beyond providing halal food. Proceedings Book, 1304

Abdrakhmanova, S., & Moghavvemi, S. (2022). Muslim friendly services in Muslim and non-Muslim destinations: Benchmarking. International Journal of Tourism, Culture and Spirituality, 5(2), 73–87.

Abdullah, A. A., Awang, M. D., Abdullah, N., et al. (2022). Syariah-compliance tourism in Malaysia. Jurnal Al-Sirat, 22(1), 95–107.

Abdul Rahim, A. (2005). A concept of clean toilet from the Islamic perspective. Journal of Islamic Built Environment, 1(1), 71–84.

Al-Dafrawi, A. S. A. (2020). An Islamic viewpoint on doping in sports: An analytical study. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 10(2), 106–126.

Aziz, A. H. (2018). Muslim friendly tourism: Concept, practices and challenges in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(11), 355–363. https://doi.org/10.6007/ ijarbss/v8-i11/4908

Battour, M., & Ismail, M. N. (2015). Halal tourism: Concepts, practices, challenges and future. Tourism Management Perspectives, 19, 150–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2015.12.008

Camilleri, M. A. (2018). The tourism industry: An overview. In Travel marketing, tourism economics and the airline product (Chapter 1, pp. 3–27). Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature.

Cetin, G., Gurel, D., & Dinçer, M. (2016). Muslim friendly tourism (MFT): A discussion. Journal of Tourismology, 2(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.26650/jot.2016.2.1.0005

Chandra, G. R. (2014). Halal tourism: A new goldmine for tourism. International Journal of Business Management & Research, 4(6), 45–62.

Chin, C. (2022, April 13). Malaysia ranks among the top 5 Muslim-friendly global travel destinations. The Star. https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/travel/2022/04/14/malaysia-ranks-among-top-5-muslim-friendly-global-travel-destinations

CNN. (2022). The city of sport and spectators – Abu Dhabi. Sponsor Content, CNN. https://sponsorcontent.cnn.com/edition/2022/thrive-in-abu-dhabi/sports

CrescentRating. (2016). Defining what is Halal tourism or Halal travel: An introduction. CrescentRating. https://www.crescentrating.com/magazine/muslim-travel/3852/defining-what-is-halal-travel-or-muslim-friendly-tourism.html

CrescentRating. (2024). Global Muslim Travel Index. CrescentRating. https://www.crescentrating.com/global-muslim-travel-index-gmti.html

Dell’Orto, G., & Bharath, D. (2024, July 26). Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/olympics-mclaughlin-levrone-track-israel-islam-christianity-493a6238a76fe79467fe867ec8cea9b1

Dilek, S., & Kulakoğlu, N. (2018). The changing meaning of travel, tourism and tourist definitions. In Programme & Abstract Book of the 7th International Congress on Current Debates in Social Sciences (CUDES VII).

Eddahar, N. (2018). A study on Muslim friendly tourism branding in the global market. Islamic Center for the Development of Trade, Organization of Islamic Cooperation. https://icdt-cidc.org/wp-content/uploads/Muslim-Friendly-Tourism-in-Gobal-Market-En.pdf

Fazira, E. (2020, January 10). Olympics in Japan and South Korea: The symbiosis of halal food with the travel industry. Euromonitor International. https://www.euromonitor.com/article/olympics-in-japan-and-south-korea-the-symbiosis-of-halal-food-with-the-travel-industry

Firdaus, F., Saharuddin, D., & Hayati, I. (2021). Halal tourism in the perspective of the Qur'an and Hadith and Maqashid Syari'ah. Majalah Ilmu Pengetahuan dan Pemikiran Keagamaan Tajdid, 24(1), 75–83

Golnaz, R., Zainalabidin, M., Mad Nasir, S., & Eddie Chiew, F. C. (2010). Non-Muslims’ awareness of Halal principles and related food products in Malaysia. International food research journal, 17(3), 667-674.Hanrahan, J. (2016, October 2). Daniel Ricciardo celebrates winning the Malaysia F1 grand prix with a “champagne shoey” – before getting his competitors to join in the antics. Daily Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3818142/Daniel-Ricciardo-wins-Malaysia-F1-grand-prix-celebrates-style-champagne-shoey.html

Hasanah, S. (2020). Muslim friendly tourism and western creative tourism: The conceptual intersection analysis. International Journal of Islamic Business Ethics, 5(1), 21–32. https://doi.org/10.30659/ijibe.5.1.21-32

Ibrahim, M. Z., Mapjabil, J., Kumalah, M. J., et al. (2016). Potentials and prospects of sport tourism in Malaysia: A theoretical perspective. World Applied Sciences Journal, 34(12), 1678–1684.

Ibrahim, M. I., Zawawi, M., & Ramli, N. (2016). The role of local authority in governing Muslim friendly sport facilities. In International Language and Tourism Conference 2016 (ILTC 2016), 21st–22nd Jan. 2016, Kuala Lumpur.

Lone, R. (2017). Sports in Islam. International Journal of Research, 4, 1989–1995.

Luerdi, L. (2022). Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022: Sustainability and foreign policy. OSF Preprints. https://osf.io/preprints/osf/rqx47_v1

Malchrowicz-Mosko, E. (2021). “Can she run or scream while travelling?” Is sports tourism halal or haram? Management of sports travel of Muslim women in the era of West-East dichotomy. European Research Studies Journal, 24(1), 421–443. https://doi.org/10.35808/ersj/1971

Mapjabil, J., Marzuki, M., Kumalah, M. J., et al. (2015). Sport as a tourism attraction in Malaysia: Potential and prospects. Malaysian Journal of Society and Space, 11(12), 23–31. https://journalarticle.ukm.my/9553/1/3.geografia-si-nov15-jabilmapjabil-edam.pdf

Marwat, M. K., Zia-ul-Islam, S., Waseem, M., et al. (2014). Islamic perspectives with reference to health and participation in sports. Asian Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 3(3), 23–29. http://ajssh.leena-luna.co.jp/AJSSHPDFs/Vol.3(3)/AJSSH2014(3.3-04).pdf

Mazza, B. (2022). Introduction. In Sport tourism and its territorial development and opportunities (pp. 1–18). Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Mohammed, S., & Qoronfleh, M. (2022). FIFA 2022: Qatar, the legacy.

Muslim, A. K., & Harun, A. (2022). Exploring the concept of Muslim friendly tourism. International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 10(3), 55–89. https://doi.org/10.21427/n4fm-gb33

SIRIM QAS International Sdn. Bhd. (2023). MS 2610 Muslim-Friendly Hospitality certification. SIRIM QAS International Sdn. Bhd. https://www.sirim-qas.com.my/our-services/management-system-certification-related-services/ms-26102015-muslim-friendly-hospitality-management-system-certification/

Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries. (2023). Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Oxford University Press. https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/

Pamukçu, H., & Arpacı, Ö. (2016). A new trend in the Turkish tourism industry: Halal tourism. In M. Kozak & N. Kozak (Eds.), Global issues and trends in tourism (pp. 282–295). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-26877-4_17

Sarial, A. S. B., Utaberta, N., Ismail, N. A., et al. (2015). Evaluation of the standard design of the prayer room in shopping mall. Advances in Environmental Biology, 9(24), 22–26.

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 104, 333–339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039

Sutula, V. (2018). General definition of the concept sports. Journal of Physical Fitness, Medicine & Treatment in Sports, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.19080/JPFMTS.2018.04.555644

Tarrant, J. (2020, January 27). Mosque on wheels rolls in to help Muslims pray at Tokyo Games. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/mosque-on-wheels-rolls-in-to-help-muslims-pray-at-tokyo-games-idUSKBN1ZZ1CQ

The Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC). (2016).

Wabuyabo, I. K., Wamukoya, E. K., & Bulinda, H. M. (2015). Influence of Islam on gender participation in sports among Muslim students in Kenyan universities. Journal of Physical Education and Sport Management, 6(9), 82–89. https://doi.org/10.5897/JPESM2015.0240

Wali, S. (2015, September 22). Al Jawhara's brand of Islamic-based hotels expanding. Gulf News. https://gulfnews.com/business/tourism/al-jawharas-brand-of-islamic-based-hotels-expanding-1.1585086

Yusuf, M. K. (2025, February 26). Faith on ice: How Canadian coaches can support Muslim athletes during Ramadan. The Sport Information Resource Centre. https://www.sirc.ca/articles/faith-on-ice-how-canadian-coaches-can-support-muslim-athletes-during-ramadan/

Zulkifli, A. M. (2022, July 16). Malaysia's maintenance culture, falling apart at the seams. MalaysiaNow. https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2022/07/16/maintenance-culture-in-malaysia-falling-apart-at-the-seams

Downloads

Published

2025-10-15
Abstract Views: 667
PDF Downloads: 148

How to Cite

Ahmad Rosy, A., Muflih, B. K., & Mohd, N. S. . (2025). The Intersection of Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Sports. Journal of Halal Industry & Services, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.36877/jhis.a0000609

Issue

Section

CONCEPTUAL ARTICLE