According to data from the Tourism Bureau, MOTC, Malaysia and Indonesia, both of which have sizable Muslim populations, came in fourth and tenth place, respectively, among the top ten countries with foreign visitors to Taiwan from January to March of this year. Over 140,000 passengers were also tourists from the two nations combined. Due to its attempts to foster a Muslim-friendly atmosphere in recent years, Taiwan has also progressively grown to be a popular alternative for Muslim tourists from Southeast Asia visiting abroad.
Taiwan to build a friendly tourism environment and becomes a popular tourist destination for Muslim tourists.Photo reproduced from Muslim Tourism Association Taiwan Facebook
In recent years, the government has carried out the New Southbound Policy and collaborated with private units in promoting tourism in order to upgrade the hardware and software facilities and create a more Muslim-friendly tourism environment. Additionally, funding is provided to tourist attractions, scenic areas, highway rest areas, schools, and hospitals to construct Muslim prayer rooms and necessary bathing equipment. This includes advising hotels, catering enterprises, tourism factories, and other companies to achieve Halal certification.
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Taiwan to build a friendly tourism environment and becomes a popular tourist destination for Muslim tourists.Photo reproduced from Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government website
Muslim travelers from Southeast Asia are increasingly choosing Taiwan during the post-epidemic era in the travel industry. A Muslim tourist party of 87 persons recently visited Miaoli Nanzhuang to take in the Flower Festival. Taiwan also achieved worldwide recognition for cultivating a Muslim-friendly atmosphere, coming in second place among non-OIC destinations (in the Global Muslim Tourism Index (GMTI) for two years in a row in 2021 and 2022.
