According to the “Travel Index of Muslims” report prepared by an international payment system organization, the most important criterion they seek is free internet and Muslim tourists are rapidly increasing their activities on social media while traveling.
The Muslim travel and tourism market is expected to reach $ 300 billion annually in the coming periods. It is estimated that more than half of the travel expenses will be made by the generation of Y (born between 1981 and 1999) and Z (born after 2000), which affects the criteria in destinations to be traveled. According to the report, Muslim tourists take digital features into consideration when making their choices. The most important criterion in accommodation and restaurant preferences stands out as “free internet” service. Prayer times appear in the television room in the third place. Muslim tourists do research about their destination online and prefer to book online.
The report emphasized that countries should use online and mobile channels effectively to attract these tourists and underlines that promotions should be prepared with the right content. Turkey, a Muslim country and ranks fourth in the ranking of preferences. Ease of transportation and visa-free entry are positively differentiated among similar countries in terms of preference criteria.
