(From left) Chou, Nabila and Abe try their hands at making Taiwan’s iconic drink, the bubble tea. AS the global tourism landscape continues to evolve, countries are increasingly recognising the importance of catering to diverse groups of travellers. Among them, Muslim tourists represent a rapidly growing segment, with unique needs and preferences.
Many nations have stepped up efforts to enhance their appeal to this market, offering tailored experiences that align with Islamic values. From halal dining options to prayer facilities and Muslim-friendly accommodations, these initiatives aim to create a welcoming environment for Muslim visitors. In an effort to establish Taiwan as the top travel destination for Muslim tourists and at the same time, boost the number of Malaysian visitors, Taiwan’s Tourism Administration under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has appointed popular Malaysian singer and actress Nabila Razali as its ‘2024 Malaysian Muslim Tourism Ambassador for Taiwan’.
According to Taiwan Tourism Administration International Affairs Division director Huang Yi-Chen, the 31-year-old Malaysian celebrity, who has over 3.5 million social media followers, is the best to represent and promote Taiwan as the travel destination for Malaysians. “We are currently focusing on attracting more Muslims to Taiwan, especially those from Malaysia; hence, we are working hard to create a Muslim-friendly environment for these tourists be it at restaurants or in hotels.
“It is an honour for us to be able to collaborate with Nabila to introduce and showcase the many attractive and exciting spots of Taiwan. With her charm, I am confident that we can attract more Muslim tourists to Taiwan,” he told a press conference in Taipei recently. The session to announce Nabila’s appointment as the ambassador was also part of the launch of a new travel promotional video called ‘Jom Taiwan!’, aimed at inviting travellers to explore the rich, diverse experiences that Taiwan has to offer.
Nabila says the experience in filming for the ‘Jom Taiwan!’ campaign allows her to truly feel the warmth and hospitality of the Taiwanese people, and enjoy the country’s natural beauty. Over 40 media representatives including social media influencers from Malaysia were invited to the event, which included sessions of Nabila enjoying halal-certified Taiwanese fried chicken and trying her hands at making Taiwan’s iconic drink, the bubble tea. Also present were Taiwan Tourism Administration deputy director-general Chou Ting-Chang and Taiwan Tourism Administration (Kuala Lumpur Office) director Abe Chou Shih-Pi.
Sharing her excitement over the appointment as ambassador under the ‘Salam Taiwan’ campaign, Nabila said she hoped to be able to share with Malaysians as well as Muslims around the world the beauty of Taiwan. “This is the fourth year of the ‘Salam Taiwan’ campaign, and for my role as an ambassador this year, I want to focus on the many places of Taiwan that people are not familiar with. “I’ve been to Taiwan three times and each time I come here, it gives me a feeling of excitement because there are so many wonderful places to explore, to shop, and not forgetting the beautiful scenery and culture of this country, which is very suitable for family travel,” she said.
A screengrab from the ‘Jom Taiwan’ video shows Nabila on the Taipei 101 Skyline 460 Observatory, the highest outdoor observation deck in Asia. ‘Explore, explore’ During her two visits to Taiwan for filming of ‘Jom Taiwan!’, Nabila said she explored a variety of the island’s iconic attractions. She marvelled at the dramatic landscapes of Bitou Cape on the Northeast Coast, strolled through the vibrant hydrangea fields of Yangmingshan, and enjoyed the many rides and attractions at various theme parks.
As an outdoor sports enthusiast, Nabila enjoyed biking along the picturesque Tanya Shen Green Bikeway in Taichung, and also had the opportunity to soak in the nostalgic ambiance of Jingling Station on the Pingxi Line and take a scenic train ride to fully immerse herself in the diverse experiences that Taiwan has to offer. “The filming experience has allowed me to truly feel the warmth and hospitality of the Taiwanese people with the natural beauty of Taiwan, and the vibrant enthusiasm of tis people which has left a lasting impression on me,” she enthused. ‘Food paradise’ Nabila shared with the media folks about her indulging in Taiwanese Muslim delicacies, savouring the juicy, tender fried chicken and enjoying a hands-on experience making traditional Hakka ‘lei cha’ (ground tea).
“The best Taiwanese food, for me, would have to be their fried chicken. I can never get enough of the crispy texture and juicy flavoursome taste. “In fact, when I visit Taiwan, one of my must-haves is always the fried chicken,” she chuckled.
Another screengrab shows Nabila gearing herself up for a rollercoaster ride. ‘Strong Malaysia-Taiwan ties’ At the launch, Chou underscored the strong connection between Malaysia and Taiwan, particularly highlighting Malaysia as a key market for promoting Muslim tourism. “Since 2018, the Taiwan Tourism Administration has been building the ‘Salam Taiwan’ brand in the Malaysian Muslim market, tailoring an image of Taiwan as a welcoming travel destination, which has now firmly taken root in the hearts of Muslim travellers.
“Recognising the substantial business potential within the global Muslim community, which numbers over two billion and has an increasing fondness for international travel, the Tourism Administration began to proactively develop a Muslim-friendly environment back in 2012. “This foresight has placed Taiwan among the Top 3 global destinations in the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) by Singapore’s CrescentRating, a position that Taiwan has maintained consecutively since 2019,” he said. Chou also pointed out that Malaysia, where over 70 per cent of the population are Muslims, recorded a significant increase in visitors to Taiwan, with more than 200,000 Malaysian tourists visiting between January and May 2024 – nearly a 20 per cent growth over the number registered in the same period last year.
“This demonstrates Taiwan’s commitment to excellence in accommodating the needs of Muslim travellers and providing a Muslim-friendly travel experience.” Meanwhile, Abe said Taiwan had set a target of hitting 600,000 Malaysian tourists this year. “In Malaysia, we have more than 500 Muslim travel agencies promoting our Muslim packages, which is a very significant number compared to only 50 agencies four years ago.
“We hope to achieve a double-digit growth to reach out to as many Muslim tourists as possible, for them to come and visit Taiwan,” he said. One of the scenes in the ‘Jom Taiwan’ video shows Nabila on a scenic train ride. ‘Exciting promos’ Alongside the promotional video featuring Nabila, the Tourism Administration had simultaneously launched an all-new Muslim Travel Guide as well as the ‘72 hours in Taiwan’ voting campaign.
This campaign, running until Jan 31 next year, encourages Malaysian residents to visit the website https://72jamditaiwan.my and vote for their preferred Taiwan travel itinerary. Participants in this exciting event stand a chance to win a lavish three-day, two-night travel experience for two in Taiwan, or round-trip tickets, enhancing the allure for Malaysian Muslim tourists to explore Taiwan’s scenic wonders.
The promotional video will be widely broadcasted through travel exhibitions, outdoor digital billboards, and online platforms. In collaboration with Malaysian Muslim travel operators, the Tourism Administration will also launch exclusive group travel offers, combining promotional and special offer sales strategies to actively work towards doubling the number of Muslim visitors from Malaysia to Taiwan..
