CAIRO: Dubai is the most popular travel destination for Muslim holidaymakers, according to a survey by Mastercard and Cresent Rating released Wednesday evening.
The Muslim Travel Shopping Index 2015 (MTSI 2015) ranked Bahrain’s Manama second, followed by Qatar’s Doha and Saudi capital Riyadh.
“With 108 million Muslim travelers representing 10 per cent of the entire travel economy in 2014, and forecasted to grow even further to 150 million visitors by 2020, it is evident this segment of the travel market represents a huge opportunity for both public and private sector organizations,” Raghu Malhotra, Division President, Middle East and North Africa, MasterCard stated.
Muslim travelers visiting the 40 cities reviewed in the report spent an estimated $36 billion, of which $9.3 billion was spent shopping.