By Our Staff Writer
Malaysia has announced a major step in expanding its influence in the global halal tourism sector with the introduction of the world’s first structured Muslim-friendly spa and wellness training programme. The initiative was formally launched during ITB Berlin 2026, one of the world’s largest travel trade exhibitions.
The programme, introduced through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and the Association of Malaysian Spas (AMSPA), signals Malaysia’s ambition to shape the future of wellness tourism for Muslim travellers worldwide.
This partnership also reflects Malaysia’s broader strategy to strengthen its position as a global leader in halal tourism and Muslim-friendly hospitality services. By combining tourism expertise with the country’s established halal ecosystem, the initiative aims to provide global tourism operators with a structured framework for offering culturally sensitive wellness experiences.
The newly introduced programme is part of the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) framework developed by the Islamic Tourism Centre under the Malaysian government’s tourism development strategy.
MFAR has been designed to establish recognised standards for tourism and hospitality services that cater to the needs of Muslim travellers. The spa and wellness training programme will extend these standards to the rapidly expanding wellness tourism segment.
Through this collaboration, at least one hundred spa operators that are members of AMSPA will undergo training based on the newly developed guidelines. The training focuses on service quality, privacy considerations, modesty requirements, and cultural awareness to ensure that spa services are aligned with Muslim-friendly tourism principles.
The programme also supports broader tourism trends such as wellness travel, slow travel experiences, and personalised hospitality services. These trends emphasise comfort, privacy, and well-being—principles that naturally align with Muslim-friendly tourism guidelines.
