Over a quarter of Muslim women journeys are solo travels, shows a study.
Twenty-eight percent of Muslim women journeys last year were solo travels, indicative of a growing younger demographic willing to experience the world, according to the latest report released by Mastercard and CrescentRating.
An estimated 63 million Muslim women travelers spent over US$80 billion on their journeys last year, a number only expected to grow as this demographic increases in size and influence over the global travel market.
Two-thirds were 40 years of age or younger, an indication of how much young Muslim women drive this section of the tourism industry. Over half of them use some form of social media to scope out accommodation, logistics and dining.
Safety and access to religious amenities
These women’s disposable income is on the rise, with most of the population setting off on trips two to three times per year. Leisure takes precedence (90%), followed by religious travel (21%) and business (11%). The study confirms that they exert considerable influence in trip planning regardless of their travel party, but most, i.e. 71%, travel with their families, and therefore prefer family-friendly destinations.
Female travelers constitute one the fastest-growing segments within the global travel market and main needs, such as safety and security, match those within the Muslim women demographic.
However, Muslim women travelers also look to integrate religious amenities into their trips with 94% of survey respondents reporting Halal dining as a travel priority. Accessible religious facilities with female-only prayer rooms (86%) and single-gender spas and beauty salons (79%) also factor highly into their itineraries. Social justice, an important part of their faith, also influences their journeys, with 73% seeking eco-friendly travel options abroad.
Source: Halal-Welt – Global Halal Business Magazine
