ISLAMIC TOURISM CENTRE AND CENTEXS COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND SARAWAK’S HERITAGE TOURISM

ITC’s Director-General, YBhg. Dato’ Dr. Mohmed Razip Haji Hasan (front row, left) with Encik Mohamad Sharen Mohamad Yusri, General Manager, Centex Commercial during the MOU Signing.

KUCHING, SARAWAK, 7 DECEMBER 2022: Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC), an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and Centexs Commercial, a subsidiary company under the Centre of Technical Excellences Sarawak (CENTEXS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to link and grow culture-related Islamic Tourism attractions in Sarawak.

The strategic alliance is set to encourage bilateral Islamic tourism flows between the two organisations through the exchange of intelligence, research and development (R&D) and promotional activities. Its foundation is to boost the state’s Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH), cultural, heritage, business and fashion tourism attractions, opening up more income-generating opportunities for local industry players and entrepreneurs.

Islamic Tourism and the Muslim tourist market is a rising force in the tourism industry that has left significant economic, cultural, social and environmental impacts on known destinations worldwide. With a global Muslim population of 2 billion and counting, Islamic Tourism is proven to be a lucrative market that Malaysia, and Sarawak should leverage on. 

“Sarawak is already a strong tourism destination with its beautiful blend of cultures, traditions, customs, and natural heritage. However, its existing Islamic Tourism ecosystem with accessible halal food, prayer rooms and water-friendly washrooms helps to expand these attractions, making it an ideal tourism spot for Muslim tourists,” said ITC Director-General, YBhg. Dato’ Dr. Mohmed Razip Haji Hasan. 

He further commented, “Islamic Tourism is universal in nature, its activities are not restricted only to Muslims. The collaboration with Centexs Commercial will develop, commercialise and promote Sarawak’s heritage and culture-centric Islamic Tourism attractions that will benefit the local people of Sarawak regardless of race and religions.”

ITC has always been active in providing capacity building programmes to Sarawak industry players that are interested in venturing into the Islamic Tourism sector. Back in September this year, 27 local licensed tourist guides have successfully completed ITC’s Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide (MFTG) training programme, earning them the recognition as tour guides with an understanding of the travel needs of Muslim tourists.

This was followed by the Mosque Visitors Guide (MosVi) Training Programme in November where 31 representatives from mosques all over Sarawak were trained to become mosque tour guides, proving the growing interest for mosque tourism in the Bornean state. 

The MOU was signed by YBhg. Dato’ Razip as the Director General of ITC and Encik Mohamad Sharen Mohamad Yusri, General Manager, Centexs Commercial at the Royal Launching of the Juma’ani Pavilion in Kuching, Sarawak, attended by Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah. 

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ABOUT ITC

Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) is a Company Limited By Guarantee (CLBG) established under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia tasked to develop the Islamic tourism segment for Malaysia. It advocates for Muslim-friendly tourism (MFT) by offering research and market intelligence, training, industry development and consultation, Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality (MFTH) service standards and certification, and information exchange.

In 2021, ITC received two key awards, i.e. Strategic Business Alliance Award at The BrandLaureate World Halal Best Brand E-Branding Awards 2021, and Best Islamic Tourism Leadership Gold Award 2021 by Malaysia Tourism Council. These are recognition of ITC’s efforts and endeavours in formulating new strategies to meet the new normal of the business environment to ensure business continuity and sustainability, notwithstanding its role to develop and grow the Islamic tourism segment in Malaysia.

In 2022, Malaysia was again named top country in the world in the MFT sector by the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) Report 2022 by DinarStandard in partnership with Salaam Standard and supported by Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

Malaysia also retained the top-ranked destination in the MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2022, a position it has defended since the launch of the Index in 2015.

These recognitions are an added motivation for ITC to continue to strengthen its efforts in being a prime mover and leading institution to ensure Malaysia is at the forefront of MFTH.

ABOUT CENTEXS COMMERCIAL

Established in 2019, CENTEXS Commercial is a Government-Linked Company (GLC) body, under the purview of the Sarawak Government, with its action to boost the commercialisation value of its heritage products also by giving the opportunity to local entrepreneurs in Sarawak. It is a subsidiary company to Centre of Technical Excellences Sarawak (CENTEXS) under the jurisdiction of Yayasan Sarawak. Centexs Commercial is also responsible for promoting and marketing the products made by local entrepreneurs and the services of technical and digital skills of our local youths.

For further details, kindly contact:

Islamic Tourism Centre
(Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia)
Level 13, No. 2 Tower 1, Jalan P5/6,
Precinct 5, 62200 Putrajaya, Malaysia
Tel: 03-8891 7177 or via email itc@mymuslimtrip.com/v2

For media-related matters, contact the Corporate Communications team:

Anis, Manager, +6012 321 9137, anis@mymuslimtrip.com/v2
Nadhirah, Sr. Executive, +6019 356 0530, nadhirah@mymuslimtrip.com/v2
Ainaa Izzati, Asst. Executive, +6010 266 2535, ainaa@mymuslimtrip.com/v2

Follow ITC on these social platforms:
Facebook: Islamic Tourism Centre
Twitter: @itc_my
Instagram: @itc_my
Youtube: Islamic Tourism Centre