As overtourism continues to overwhelm popular travel destinations worldwide, industry leaders gathered at the Halal in Travel Global Summit 2025 to explore how inclusive tourism development, especially by engaging the Muslim travel segment, can be a powerful tool for diversifying visitor economies and creating more balanced, sustainable tourism.

Moderated by Andrew Cameron, founder of Enzyme Consulting, the session titled “Managing Overtourism Through Inclusion” brought together international experts including Dr. Anang Sutono, Dr. Barbara Ruiz Bejarano, and Shinya Yokoyaman to share insights on how to redistribute travel flows, empower regional destinations, and promote inclusive tourism practices that align with the values of Muslim travelers.

Rethinking overtourism

The panel began by reframing the problem: Overtourism is less about the volume of visitors and more about imbalance; the concentration of tourists in certain areas during peak times, which places immense pressure on local infrastructure, communities, and natural environments.

Dr. Barbara Ruiz Bejarano, Director of the Sources Foundation in Spain, explained how this imbalance manifests. Cities like Barcelona and Madrid have become symbols of “tourism-phobia,” where residents are displaced due to the conversion of housing into tourist accommodations, and access to basic services becomes strained.

The conversation quickly shifted to identifying Muslim travelers, a fast-growing, values-driven segment, as a strategic opportunity to help alleviate these pressures while fostering more resilient and regenerative travel ecosystems.

The Muslim travel market: A vehicle for growth

The speakers presented compelling arguments for how the Muslim travel segment can address the challenges of overtourism:

1. Redistributing Destinations and Seasons

Dr. Barbara noted that Spain’s untapped Islamic heritage could become a new focal point for Muslim travelers. Initiatives like the Andalucia Medina network aim to connect and promote these heritage locations, drawing visitors away from overcrowded tourist hotspots.

Similarly, Shinya Yokoyama highlighted how Japan, a country expecting over 40 million international arrivals this year, is using regional activation as a strategy. While cities like Tokyo and Kyoto face overtourism, rural towns and villages welcome Muslim visitors who are drawn to nature, cultural immersion, and educational factory tours.

In Indonesia, Dr. Anang emphasized efforts to promote alternative destinations like Lombok and West Sumatra, areas rich in natural beauty and cultural tradition but less saturated than Bali. These destinations are already making strides in Muslim-friendly tourism, offering halal food, prayer facilities, and experiences rooted in local values.

2. Promoting Values-Driven Tourism

The speakers agreed that Muslim-friendly tourism inherently promotes responsible travel behaviors. These include respect for local customs and communities, environmental stewardship, and a focus on quality experiences over mass tourism.

Such principles naturally align with inclusive and sustainable tourism, ensuring that benefits are equitably distributed across local populations.

3. Utilizing the Islamic Calendar

Another key insight was the potential of the Islamic calendar to ease pressure during peak travel seasons. Because major Islamic holidays often fall outside typical Western vacation periods, destinations can promote off-peak travel packages tailored to Muslim tourists—helping to smooth out demand across the year.

How to build up to inclusive tourism

The conversation also touched on the critical roles of education, policymaking, and data-driven planning in transforming inclusive tourism from idea to implementation.

• Training hospitality providers: Shinya Yokoyama stressed the importance of educating restaurants and hotels on how to better accommodate Muslim guests.
   

• Strategic data use: Dr. Anang emphasized that Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) must harness tourism data to better understand Muslim traveler behavior and design effective marketing and incentive schemes.
   

• Policy integration: Dr. Barbara pointed out that Spain currently lacks a national strategy for Muslim-friendly tourism. Coordination between national and regional governments, as well as the private sector, is essential for scaling inclusive tourism initiatives.
   

• Cultural exchange and internationalization: Beyond economic benefits, Yokoyama noted that inclusion also strengthens cultural diplomacy, particularly in homogenous societies like Japan, where interaction with international Muslim travelers fosters mutual understanding.

Success stories in action

The session highlighted inspiring case studies that demonstrate the impact of inclusive tourism when implemented strategically:

• Mértola, Portugal: This small town celebrates its Islamic heritage through a biennial Islamic festival, attracting 50,000–60,000 visitors. Investments in a hamam and Andalusian tea house have engaged local artisans and producers, delivering both economic and social benefits.
   

• Sunung Batang, West Sumatra, Indonesia: This village has developed a Smart Muslim-Friendly Tourism Hub focused on synergy, investment, transaction, and education. It connects natural landscapes with local culture and entrepreneurship, strengthening destination branding and sustainability.
   

• Sano City, Japan: A single ramen shop offering halal-certified dishes sparked transformation in this small town. The local Muslim community grew, a mosque was built, and Sano City emerged as a model for Muslim-friendly hospitality.
   

The road ahead

Despite these successes, the session didn’t shy away from the obstacles.

• Fragmentation in the tourism sector makes coordination between stakeholders difficult.
   

• Halal certification systems are not standardized or government-led in all countries (e.g., Spain), limiting consistency and credibility.
   

• Policy gaps remain, especially in countries where Muslim-friendly tourism is still not recognized at the national level.

However, the economic argument remains strong: with an estimated market size in the hundreds of billions globally, Muslim travelers represent a significant opportunity for both emerging and mature destinations.

Conclusion

The Halal in Travel Global Summit’s session on overtourism delivered a clear message: inclusivity is the future of sustainable tourism. By understanding and supporting the Muslim travel segment, destinations have the opportunity to decongest overcrowded hotspots and create deeper, more meaningful visitor experiences.

As Dr. Anang summed it up, “Inclusive tourism is not just about accessibility. It’s about mutual benefit, harmony with the environment, and respect between hosts and visitors.”

Now more than ever, tourism professionals, DMOs, and policy-makers must work together to turn these insights into action. As overtourism looms as a threat to global travel sustainability, inclusion may be the key to restoring balance.

Watch the full panel on YouTube here. 

To see more of the Halal In Travel Global Summit 2025 sessions, please visit this page.