Indonesia's Bintan Resorts has rolled out a series of initiatives in collaboration with CrescentRating and Halaltrip, to increase its appeal to Muslim travellers across the world with a focus on the neighbouring Asean region, China and the Middle East.

The news will further boost Indonesia which recently climbed one position to take the third spot as the top performing destination in the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2017.

The new initiative includes the Muslim visitor guide to Bintan Resorts that will be available in English and subsequently translated to Arabic and Chinese. The guide highlights Muslim friendly resorts, attractions and Halal friendly restaurants, providing visitors with a high level of assurance. A dedicated microsite on HalalTrip has also been developed to showcase and highlight the Muslim-friendly options in Bintan Island. All establishments have been rated based on CrescentRating’s rating system for Muslim friendliness. Services rated include Hotels, Restaurants, Spas, Attractions, and more.

Nestled in Indonesia's Riau Archipelago, Bintan Resorts is an integrated beach resort destination that boasts of pristine beaches, exciting water sports and championship golf courses.  Its strategic proximity to Malaysia and Singapore is complimented by the island’s rich culture and heritage attractions such as Pulau Penyengat, home to the majestic Masjid Raya Sultan Riau built in the 18th century. Being an island respite away from hectic city life positions Bintan Resorts as an attractive destination for tourists keen to explore one of the most unique places in Asia. During this Ramadan, there will also be events held at Lagoi Bay Bintan.

Iris Kok, marketing communications manager of Bintan Resorts, said: “With anticipated growth in the Muslim travel market, we believe that this collaboration with CrescentRating is timely and boosts our marketing efforts towards welcoming Muslim tourists. It is an important step to access and adapt our offerings to be more Muslim-friendly allowing for informed decision-making.”

Raudha Zaini, marketing manager of HalalTrip, said: “Bintan Resorts has a unique offering for Muslim visitors across the world which makes it an ideal destination to benefit from the growth in the Muslim travel market. We are delighted to be part of this ambitious drive which is evident from the progress that Indonesia is making in the GMTI 2017.”

The MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2017, the most comprehensive research that has been released on the sector, revealed that the Muslim travel market will continue to grow at a fast pace with the sector estimated to grow to $220 billion in 2020 and $300 billion by 2026.

Asia has remained the leading region in the world in terms of attractiveness to Muslim tourists with an average GMTI score of 57.6, with Africa coming in second place at 47.0, followed by Oceania (43.8), Europe (39.9) and the Americas (33.7). - TradeArabia News Service