Mastercard-CrescentRating GMTI 2024 spotlights the power of women travellers, accessibility
The latest Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2024 highlights changing demographics – namely the growing importance of the female traveller and under-40, young travellers – as well as what is driving and fuelling the sector’s growth.
Aisha Islam, senior vice president, Customer Solutions Center, South-east Asia, Mastercard Asia-Pacific, said the 2024 index showed a “breaking of boundaries and value and volume increasing”.
She told participants at the Halal in Travel Global Summit (HiTGS) that the figure of 436 million global female travellers is ”a huge influence in travel planning”.
She described this cohort as “digitally connected, seeking personalised experiences and cashless transactions” and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is offering them an “unprecedented level of personalisation”.
The GMTI Muslim Women Friendly Destination matrix, included for the first time last year with 10 Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and non-OIC destinations, has increased to 20 in the 2024 index.
Malaysia, Indonesia and Qatar were the top three in the OIC category and Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the non-OIC category.
As for the young traveller, Islam noted the cohort is “dynamic, tech-savvy and socially active”.
Agreeing, Fazal Bahardeen, CEO, CrescentRating, commented 70 per cent of the Muslim population under-40 is a digital native.
Meanwhile, Fazal said new metrics on “accessible travel” – availability of facilities and services for travellers with disabilities – were added to the model for GMTI 2024.
In quoting UN and UNWTO data, he shared that more than one billion people, or 15 per cent of the global population, live with some form of disability; only nine per cent of global tourism destinations are equipped with accessibility solutions for travellers with specific needs; and by 2050, two billion people, more than 20 per cent of the world’s population will be 60 or older, with a significant increase in the oldest populations.
The GMTI presentation showed the resurgence and growth in the Muslim travel market reached a 168 million arrivals milestone in 2024, a five per cent increase over 2019, and is projected to reach 230 million arrivals and contribute US$225 billion by 2028.
GMTI 2024 put Indonesia and Malaysia in joint top spot for OIC destinations, while Singapore led non-OIC destinations for the ninth consecutive year.
Singapore was also named the Most Diversified Halal Dining City of the Year during the summit.
Fazal said Singapore offered some 3,000 Halal F&B outlets, certified by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS); there was also an increase in fine-dining establishments to cater to the sophisticated lifestyle of Muslim travellers.
The launch of the HalalTrip Gastronomy Awards, a joint effort by HalalTrip and the Singapore Halal Culinary Federation, was announced during HiTGS in 2023.
The first awards ceremony will take place on June 5, 2024, at Village Hotel Bugis with minister of state Muhammad Faisal Ibrahim as guest of honour.
GMTI, now in its ninth year, analysed data across 145 destinations using the ACES framework built around metrics on access, communication, environment and services.
Qantas, Perth Airport team up to boost Australia’s tourism industry
Qantas and Perth Airport have signed a 12-year commercial agreement that will unlock a multi-billion-dollar wave of investment and transform Western Australia into a major domestic and international hub for both Qantas and Jetstar.
The hub will significantly enhance inbound tourism and give Australians more options when travelling to Asia, Africa, India and Europe.
As part of the agreement, Perth Airport will invest around A$3 billion (US$1.99 billion) in new terminal facilities and a new parallel runway which is expected to be open in 2028. This will form part of a A$5 billion capital investment programme by the airport, which will also deliver two multi-storey carparks, major access roadworks, and the airport’s first hotel.
Both Qantas and Jetstar will relocate all services to a new terminal in the Airport Central precinct, and will also invest in new aircraft. Qantas also plans to build a new engineering hangar in the Airport Central precinct.
In addition, Perth Airport will also invest in upgrades to Terminals 3 and 4, which will enable Qantas to add services and more destinations from Perth, including Auckland and Johannesburg from mid-2025. The works will also include gate upgrades to accommodate ultra-longhaul aircraft, including the airline’s Project Sunrise Airbus A350s which arrive from 2026 – both Qantas and Jetstar plan to add 4.4 million seats to and from Perth annually by the time the new terminal opens in 2031.
The new terminal will offer passengers seamless domestic and international transfer, check-in and bag drop facilities. Both Qantas and Perth Airport will work on plans for a multi-lounge precinct for international and domestic passengers with a new signature design and bespoke dining and wellness initiatives.
“This is the largest airport infrastructure deal in our history. It will enable us to create a world-class western hub and significantly expand our domestic and international services over the short, medium and long term,” commented Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson, adding that the additional services will help create around 700 new jobs in Western Australia across pilots, crew, engineering and airport staff.
Perth Airport CEO Jason Waters shared: “This is a special moment in the history of aviation in Western Australia as this agreement will unlock the future for both Perth Airport and Qantas. Most importantly, it will deliver one airport for the people of Western Australia which will host all flight services giving them a seamless, world class travel experience.”
Glow Festival returns for its third edition this July
Back for its third year, Glow Festival by Prudential promises a wellness event like no other as it engages attendees of all ages and wellness levels from July 6 to 21 at Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza and Rain Oculus.
The 16-day anchor event of the Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) Wellness Festival Singapore (WFS) is targeting to host over 100,000 wellness and fitness enthusiasts alike, and is set to occupy 1,900m² of the iconic venue.
Themed Wellness Awakening, this year’s Glow Festival will see lululemon and PURE as curation partners as it rolls out a comprehensive programme of over 70 workouts and wellness workshops.
A new highlight is the lululemon’s inaugural Get Into Strides with lululemon – led by different lululemon ambassadors. This five-kilometre run around the scenic Marina Bay area is happening at sunrise every weekend throughout the festival.
lululemon ambassadors will also be hosting their classes at Glow Festival, offering participants the chance to join AARMY Bootcamp, AARMY Cycle, as well as Yoga and Chill and Soul Flow Yoga sessions.
With a total of six zones, four of them – The Oracle by Alpha Wave Experience, Virtual Reality sessions, Art Therapy, and The Bliss Room – are complimentary and open-to-all, while tickets are required for the Main Studio and the Recovery Space. The Recovery Space comprises ice baths, a Face Yoga Fitness Bar, and Therabody equipment, all designed to provide a comprehensive recovery session after workout sessions.
For nourishment, there is the Wellness Bazaar by Guardian offering health and beauty products, artisanal crafts and more, as well as a dedicated area with four food trucks offering an array of healthy and nutritious cuisine options.
In addition, Prudential Singapore has also launched a six-week mentorship programme, Project Glow Up, for aspiring wellness professionals, where they are given the opportunity to be mentored by experts in the fitness, F&B, and retail industries.
“Glow Festival has grown from strength to strength and for the first time, Glow will be the anchor event of Wellness Festival Singapore. By working with our industry players like Glow, we can showcase our diverse, unique and accessible range of wellness offerings in Singapore to locals and visitors and achieve Singapore’s ambition to become an urban wellness haven,” shared Ong Ling Lee, executive director, sports and wellness, STB.
Glow Festival founder, Martin Capstick, added: “As the anchor event for this year’s WFS, Glowgetters can not only gain access to the exceptional wellness programmes that they are accustomed to, but also will be thrilled with the line-up of immersive experiences we’ve added this year.”
Ticket sales for Glow Festival by Prudential are now open with early bird prices starting from S$29 (US$21) – each ticket will allow participants access to one class at the Main Studio and exclusive access to Recovery Space, alongside a complimentary drink, discount vouchers, and exclusive merchandise. VIP tickets are also available (from S$49), which includes a limited edition Glow Festival x lululemon T-shirt.
Ten per cent of the proceeds from every ticket purchased for lululemon classes will go towards the support of Samaritans of Singapore, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing emotional support and safe spaces to troubled individuals.
Royal Caribbean Group enhances loyalty programme across its brands
Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) has introduced a loyalty status match programme across its brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, which enables loyalty members to attain equivalent tier status on any one of its brands.
This shared status adds to members’ existing benefits and unlocks new ways to see the world, with more than 50 ships sailing to nearly 1,000 destinations across all seven continents.
As the first major cruise company to offer loyalty status matching across its core brands, the Royal Caribbean Group Loyalty Status Match programme allows members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, Celebrity Cruises’ Captain’s Club and Silversea’s Venetian Society to enjoy reciprocal tier status no matter which brand they sail with.
“We strive to provide guests with experiences within our portfolio of brands that meet them for all of life’s moments,” said Jason Liberty, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean Group.
By aligning its three brands and recognising guest loyalty across the fleet, the Loyalty Status Match programme highlights include seamless status recognition, onboard benefits, automatic tier matching, and enhanced travel experience.
The applicable terms and conditions are also changing to make clear how member data will be shared across the various loyalty programmes and highlight other important legal terms.
New benefits onboard for members who have their status matched will begin with sailings departing on June 5, 2024.
Experience makers
1. Vertigo, Brisbane
Only 12 guests can experience this exclusive gastronomic dining experience overhanging Brisbane Powerhouse’s industrial façade. Vertigo is where guests don safety harnesses and experience sky-high city views with a 17-metre drop beneath their feet.
2. Luxcoach, Melbourne
Australia’s first luxury coach comes complete with a cocktail bar and butler service. It hosts up to 20 guests and includes a 50-inch LCD TV, powder room and toilet facilities. The front of the bus also has an executive meeting setting for four VIPs.
3. International Antarctic Centre, Christchurch
Get the chills and thrills of Antarctica much closer to home. Visitors can go on a bumpy ride on the Hägglund field trip, experience a simulated cruise to Antarctica, see little blue penguins and learn about the first expeditions and modern-day life on Scott Base.
4. Grazeland, Melbourne
Dubbed an outdoor foodie playground, Grazeland has an extensive array of bars, food trucks and stalls echoing Melbourne’s multicultural population. The multitude of stalls means menus can be customised for unique events and there are two stages for live performances.
5. Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, Melbourne
The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne offers a picturesque Australian native setting for a garden lunch. As a seasonal pop-up, the Alto Structure on Dog Flat Lawn accommodated 350 seated guests for AIME 2024’s Sunday brunch. A cocktail setting would fit 500.
Dusit strengthens development team with two appointments
Dusit International has made two key appointments to strengthen its global development team.
In the Middle East, Rami Massoud has joined the company as vice president of development (EMEA) based in Dusit’s regional office in Dubai. He will be responsible for the growth of Dusit’s portfolio of Dusit Hotels and Resorts across key existing and emerging destinations in the EMEA region.
With over 25 years of experience in hotel development, real estate investment, and asset management, Massoud most recently served as the managing director of Hotel Assets Acquisition Consultants.
Pornpim Hiranpradit has been named director of development (Global), based in Bangkok, where she will spearhead Dusit’s development efforts across Asia-Pacific and support Dusit’s regional development offices worldwide.
She brings extensive experience in real estate and hospitality, having worked for real estate brokerage and management firms in New York as well as in hotel operations in Thailand.
Vietjet adds four new international routes in June
Vietjet is set to launch four new non-stop services from Vietnam’s Phu Quoc Island to Taichung and Kaohsiung, and from Hanoi to Melbourne and Sydney in June.
The Phu Quoc-Taichung route will commence operations on June 13, offering thrice weekly service on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, while the Kaohsiung-Phu Quoc route will be launched on June 14, operating four return flights per week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Offering flights linking Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc in Vietnam with major cities in Taiwan including Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, this brings the total of the airline’s Vietnam-Taiwan flight network to nine direct services.
Vietjet also bolsters connectivity between Vietnam and Australia with the launch of twice-weekly service from Hanoi to Melbourne, as well as the Hanoi-Sydney route, beginning in the first week of June.
Tickets for these routes are now available across all official Vietjet booking channels.
Explore more of Japan with Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises will be extending its number of itineraries in Japan during the 2025-26 season, and will feature an expanded Japan season showcasing the region’s fall foliage, Mount Fuji, Kyoto and more before continuing to Singapore and South-east Asia.
From ancient temples and castles, to markets and gardens, cruisers experience the best way to see Japan aboard Diamond Princess with a new fall 2025 season offering 11 new voyages in addition, ranging in length from nine to 22 days, visiting 25 destinations throughout the Land of the Rising Sun, as well as stops in South Korea and Taiwan.
Following her extended Japan season, Diamond Princess will sail to Singapore on a 12-day South-east Asia and Japan cruise featuring Taipei (Keelung) and Hong Kong to kick off three roundtrip Singapore sailings from December 2025 to February 2026 including a 14-day Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam cruise; a 16-day Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam sailing; and a 14-day South-east Asia and Japan voyage from Singapore back to Tokyo (Yokohama) with late night More Ashore stays in both Hong Kong and Shimizu (for Mount Fuji).
For more information, visit Princess Cruises.
Glamp in style at Paya Beach Spa & Dive Resort
Paya Beach Spa & Dive Resort has unveiled its new luxury glamping suite experience, offering urban dwellers a unique opportunity to reconnect with nature and escape the hustle and bustle of city life, while immersing themselves in nature.
Located on the western shores of Tioman Island in Malaysia and overlooking Mount Kajang, this immersive glamping experience is set to open in September this year.
Each suite provides a modern glamping experience for up to six people, with features like an ensuite pool, a relaxing hammock, and a toilet furnished with a smart mirror – blending modern comfort with nature.
Guests can also enjoy a wide range of amenities at Paya Beach Spa & Dive Resort, such as snorkelling and diving, sipping cocktails by the poolside, complimentary morning yoga sessions by the beach, a trekking experience through Tioman’s tropical rainforest, and even kayaking in the South China Sea.
The glamping suite experience will be available for booking starting September on the resort’s website.
For more information, visit Paya Beach Spa & Dive Resort.
A sharper focus on residential and gaming projects, greater presence in Asia, and investments in sustainability and innovation are among the things on global architectural firm WATG’s agenda as it approaches its 80th anniversary next year.
WATG’s president and CEO David Moore recalled the firm’s entry into Asia through its first project in Singapore, the evergreen Garden Wing at Shangri-La Singapore, which opened in 1978, and said WATG has moved on to deliver many more iconic hotel projects in the region.
He pointed to examples such as Tanjong Jara Resort in Terengganu, Malaysia, which was a “real environmental milestone project”; W Singapore – Sentosa Cove; and The St. Regis Singapore.
“We are incredibly proud of our work with The St. Regis, Singapore and the Garden Wing at Shangri-La Singapore because both are often top accommodation choices among foreign heads of states who visit Singapore,” he said.
One of its latest projects in Asia is JW Marriott Jeju, which brought the island’s nature, culture, and history into the architecture. Highlights include a cantilever roof that optimises views of Jeju’s coastline while honouring the indigenous Choga architecture-style with a sustainable interpretation.
However, the need to diversify WATG’s specialisation beyond hotel projects and the team’s culture of “always thinking how we can keep pushing the envelope” have led the firm to pursue new goals.
“We are keen on areas that we have historically been opportunistic about – that is, taking on such projects only when a request comes in. Such projects were for multi-family or senior living residences and gaming developments. We realised we have done a real good job with them, so we want to be more strategic about such specialisations going forward,” Moore told TTG Asia.
Elaborating on WATG’s vision for its gaming specialisation, Moore said teams are being established to proactively pursue opportunities, and new offices will be opened to support this effort and other objectives.
WATG’s first gaming project was The Palace of the Lost City in Sun City, South Africa. Its portfolio now includes The Venetian Las Vegas and Bellagio, Club Privé.
“We have an outfit in California that handles gaming projects in Las Vegas. However, we expect a lot more gaming projects to materialise in Asia, so we want to be here. We are ready to take on the gaming floors, the hotels, and the entertainment that go into such projects,” he added.
The team is also paying greater attention to its commitment to responsible development.
“WATG takes environmental impact seriously in all its projects,” emphasised Moore, who added it has landscape architects who carefully review site conditions and local habitat, as well as a newly-appointed director of sustainability “to help WATG become the leader in the environmental side of hospitality”.
Ronnie Tan, studio director, landscape at WATG, said the team “prioritises regenerative and resilient design”.
He elaborated: “When we go into a new project, we take a holistic approach to our design. We go in with a very light touch, as our intention is to leave the smallest footprint possible while enhancing the existing site conditions. We consider ways to bring the landscape and wildlife into the architecture so that the local habitat is enhanced through the new development. The project must make business sense for the owners and have a positive impact on the community.”
Technology is another area that WATG is investing in, with a focus on harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) in building design. There is potential to make available final project visions right at the start of discussions with clients.
However, WATG is well aware of the legal implications of AI use.
“AI skims data off the Internet. There are a lot of good architecture firms and we respect their work; we don’t want to touch their data and get caught in copyright issues,” said Moore.
As such, the firm is developing its own “AI sandbox” that uses data from WATG projects across 80 years.