Muslim Travel Operators Praise Taiwan, Citing Human Warmth and Local Culture as Key Tourism Draws
Halal certification involves more than just being "pork-free and alcohol-free"; it covers food sources, processes, hygiene, and religious norms. Muslim travel operators believe that while Taiwan has continuously improved its Muslim-friendly environment, its human warmth and local culture are the biggest attractions for tourism. This was discussed at a Taiwan tourism promotion event in Kuala Lumpur on May 19.
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- 📰 Published: May 19, 2026 at 20:26
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Halal certification is not just about being "pork-free and alcohol-free"; it also encompasses aspects like food sources, production processes, hygiene, and religious regulations. Muslim travel operators believe that while Taiwan has continuously enhanced its Muslim-friendly environment in recent years, the warmth of its people and the charm of its local culture have become the biggest attractions for visiting the island.
With a population of over 34 million, Malaysia's majority Muslim community is one of Taiwan's key source markets under the New Southbound Policy. Besides the ethnic Chinese market, the Tourism Administration, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, is specifically promoting a friendly travel environment for the Muslim community, hoping to attract more young Muslim travelers to Taiwan.
Cheng-min Puh, Deputy Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, stated today at a Taiwan tourism promotion event in Kuala Lumpur that this is the first time the Tourism Administration has held a Muslim-focused event this year. As Malaysia has a predominantly Muslim population, the Halal-related market holds significant development potential. With Taiwan's ongoing promotion of Muslim-friendly facilities and Halal certification, the future of the Muslim travel market to Taiwan is promising, which also helps to enhance civil exchanges and mutual understanding between Taiwan and Malaysia.
Cheng Chih-hung, Director of the International Division at the Tourism Administration, pointed out that Taiwan has been continuously optimizing its Muslim-friendly travel environment. It has established a comprehensive system of Halal-certified restaurants and friendly facilities. In 2025, Taiwan was ranked 4th among non-OIC destinations in the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), demonstrating high international recognition of Taiwan's travel environment.
Muslim travel operator Aisyah, who attended the event, told a CNA reporter that although Taiwan has been actively promoting a Muslim-friendly environment, there is still room for improvement in society's overall understanding of Halal culture. She believes that businesses, food and beverage operators, and the general public can further understand the dietary and cultural needs of Muslims, making it more convenient for Muslim travelers to live and travel in Taiwan.
She explained that Halal diet cannot be simplified to "no pork," "no lard," or "no alcohol"; it involves layers of ingredient sourcing, production processes, and religious rules. If Taiwan can continue to raise Muslim-friendly awareness, it will also help more people understand how to interact, dine, and communicate with their Muslim friends.
Travel operator Syafika, speaking about her impression of Taiwan, said that for Muslim travelers, Taiwan is already a very convenient and friendly travel destination, offering many Muslim-friendly facilities and services that allow Muslims to feel more at ease with their dining, accommodation, and travel arrangements.
She believes that Taiwan's beautiful scenery, diverse cuisine, and strong human warmth are highly attractive to Muslims. In particular, Taiwanese people are generally enthusiastic and friendly, happy to share their local culture and specialties with foreign travelers, which provides Muslims with a comfortable and diverse travel experience.
Additionally, travel operator Iman expressed his hope that more Malaysian tourists will visit Taiwan in the future to deeply experience its local culture and lifestyle.
He thinks that besides tourist attractions, Taiwan has many unique local activities that only residents participate in. If the Taiwan Tourism Administration could further promote these, it would help Malaysian travelers get closer to Taiwan's daily life and experience authentic local travel.
With a population of over 34 million, Malaysia's majority Muslim community is one of Taiwan's key source markets under the New Southbound Policy. Besides the ethnic Chinese market, the Tourism Administration, Ministry of Transportation and Communications, is specifically promoting a friendly travel environment for the Muslim community, hoping to attract more young Muslim travelers to Taiwan.
Cheng-min Puh, Deputy Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia, stated today at a Taiwan tourism promotion event in Kuala Lumpur that this is the first time the Tourism Administration has held a Muslim-focused event this year. As Malaysia has a predominantly Muslim population, the Halal-related market holds significant development potential. With Taiwan's ongoing promotion of Muslim-friendly facilities and Halal certification, the future of the Muslim travel market to Taiwan is promising, which also helps to enhance civil exchanges and mutual understanding between Taiwan and Malaysia.
Cheng Chih-hung, Director of the International Division at the Tourism Administration, pointed out that Taiwan has been continuously optimizing its Muslim-friendly travel environment. It has established a comprehensive system of Halal-certified restaurants and friendly facilities. In 2025, Taiwan was ranked 4th among non-OIC destinations in the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), demonstrating high international recognition of Taiwan's travel environment.
Muslim travel operator Aisyah, who attended the event, told a CNA reporter that although Taiwan has been actively promoting a Muslim-friendly environment, there is still room for improvement in society's overall understanding of Halal culture. She believes that businesses, food and beverage operators, and the general public can further understand the dietary and cultural needs of Muslims, making it more convenient for Muslim travelers to live and travel in Taiwan.
She explained that Halal diet cannot be simplified to "no pork," "no lard," or "no alcohol"; it involves layers of ingredient sourcing, production processes, and religious rules. If Taiwan can continue to raise Muslim-friendly awareness, it will also help more people understand how to interact, dine, and communicate with their Muslim friends.
Travel operator Syafika, speaking about her impression of Taiwan, said that for Muslim travelers, Taiwan is already a very convenient and friendly travel destination, offering many Muslim-friendly facilities and services that allow Muslims to feel more at ease with their dining, accommodation, and travel arrangements.
She believes that Taiwan's beautiful scenery, diverse cuisine, and strong human warmth are highly attractive to Muslims. In particular, Taiwanese people are generally enthusiastic and friendly, happy to share their local culture and specialties with foreign travelers, which provides Muslims with a comfortable and diverse travel experience.
Additionally, travel operator Iman expressed his hope that more Malaysian tourists will visit Taiwan in the future to deeply experience its local culture and lifestyle.
He thinks that besides tourist attractions, Taiwan has many unique local activities that only residents participate in. If the Taiwan Tourism Administration could further promote these, it would help Malaysian travelers get closer to Taiwan's daily life and experience authentic local travel.