A 2024 study of Indonesian Muslim travelers found that Taiwan’s halal food, prayer facilities, services and welcoming environment improve the country’s destination image. However, emotional appeal—not practical knowledge alone—plays the strongest role in shaping the decision to visit.
Main Findings
Taiwan is strengthening its position as a Muslim-friendly tourism destination, but new research suggests that providing halal facilities alone may not be enough to persuade travelers to visit.
A study published in Cogent Social Sciences examined how Muslim-friendly tourism attributes influence Indonesian Muslim travelers’ perceptions of Taiwan. Researchers surveyed 233 Indonesian Muslim respondents who were considering travel to non-Muslim countries.
The findings offer a clear message for Taiwan’s tourism industry: halal food, prayer rooms, Muslim-friendly services and trained staff help travelers view the country more positively. Nevertheless, travelers are more likely to decide to visit when Taiwan creates feelings of happiness, excitement, calm and pleasure.
The research found that Muslim-friendly attributes significantly improved both the cognitive and affective image of Taiwan. In simple terms, these features helped travelers think more positively about Taiwan and feel more emotionally connected to the destination.
However, the direct relationship between Muslim-friendly attributes and the decision to visit was not statistically significant. Likewise, a traveler’s level of religiosity did not significantly change the relationship between destination image and the intention to visit.
Why Taiwan Wants Muslim Visitors
Taiwan is a non-Muslim-majority destination located close to important Muslim travel markets, including Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Its geographic location and growing links with Southeast Asia give Taiwan an opportunity to attract more Muslim visitors.
The country began promoting a Muslim-friendly environment in the early 2010s. Taiwan’s tourism authorities have worked with Muslim organizations to improve halal certification, prayer facilities and travel information.
According to figures cited in the study, Taiwan received about 200,000 Muslim travelers in 2015 and approximately 170,000 in 2018. In 2019, Muslim visitors represented around 200,000 of Taiwan’s 10.14 million international visitors.
Although the number remains relatively small, Taiwan has received strong recognition in international Muslim tourism rankings. The study notes that Taiwan was listed among the leading non-Muslim destinations for Muslim travelers and was also recognized for its safety.
The opportunity is significant because Southeast Asia contains a large and growing Muslim consumer market. Indonesia, in particular, is an important target because it has one of the world’s largest Muslim populations and strong interest in international travel.
For Taiwan, the strategy is not only about increasing visitor numbers. Muslim-friendly tourism can also encourage longer stays, higher spending and broader participation by local businesses.
What Muslim-Friendly Tourism Means
Muslim-friendly tourism does not necessarily mean that an entire destination must operate according to Islamic rules. Instead, it means that tourism providers offer facilities and services that help Muslim visitors follow their religious practices comfortably while traveling.
These services may include:
- Clearly identified halal food and beverages.
- Prayer rooms in airports, stations, hotels and attractions.
- Facilities for wudu, or ritual washing before prayer.
- Prayer timetables and qibla directions.
- Muslim-friendly accommodation.
- Staff who understand halal requirements.
- Clear information in Indonesian, Malay, Arabic or English.
- Clean, safe and respectful social environments.
The research grouped Muslim-friendly tourism into five broad areas: social environment, Muslim-friendly facilities, halal food and beverages, halal local products and staff, and halal-friendly services.
This approach recognizes that a traveler’s experience does not depend on food alone. A visitor may also need to know where to pray, whether a restaurant has reliable certification and whether hotel staff understand basic Muslim needs.
Taiwan has introduced several measures in response. The study reports that the government funded about NT$5 million for halal certification and related tourism efforts from 2019. It also cites 252 certified restaurants and accommodations at that time.
Prayer rooms and Muslim-friendly facilities have been developed in public locations, including airports, railway stations, the Taiwan High-Speed Rail Taichung Station and selected tourist attractions. The study also mentions Muslim-friendly facilities at Alishan National Scenic Area and Sun Moon Lake
Important Tourism Data
The following figures summarize the market context and the study’s sample.
| Indicator | Figure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Muslim travelers to Taiwan in 2015 | About 200,000 | Shows an earlier level of demand |
| Muslim travelers to Taiwan in 2018 | About 170,000 | Indicates that visitor numbers had fallen from 2015 |
| Taiwan’s total visitors in 2019 | 10.14 million | Provides scale for comparison |
| Muslim visitors in 2019 | About 200,000 | Shows the size of the Muslim segment |
| Muslim citizens in Taiwan | About 300,000 | Includes migrant workers and overseas students |
| Halal-certified restaurants and accommodations cited for 2019 | 252 | Demonstrates expansion of tourism facilities |
| Survey respondents | 233 | Final sample used in the study |
| Data collection period | July–September 2023 | Shows when the survey took place |
The study’s figures come from sources cited by the researchers and should be read as historical context rather than current tourism statistics.
How the Study Was Conducted
Researchers used a quantitative online survey and analyzed the responses with structural equation modeling, a statistical method used to test relationships between several factors.
The survey initially collected 289 responses. After screening, the researchers used 233 valid responses from Indonesian Muslim travelers who had considered visiting a non-Muslim country, particularly Taiwan.
The sample had several clear characteristics:
- 70.4% of respondents were women.
- 77.7% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 79% were university students.
- 71.7% reported monthly income below Rp1 million.
- 89.7% had previously traveled to Asian countries.
- 79% had traveled zero to two times during the previous three years.
Because of this profile, the findings should not be treated as a perfect representation of all Muslim travelers. They primarily reflect young Indonesian Muslim respondents with relatively limited travel frequency.
Still, the study provides useful evidence for tourism marketers. It shows how Muslim-friendly facilities influence the way potential travelers understand and emotionally evaluate a non-Muslim destination.
The questionnaire used seven-point scales, ranging from strong disagreement to strong agreement. Researchers measured Muslim-friendly attributes, destination image, religiosity and the decision to visit.
The measurement results met the reliability and validity standards used in the research. The study reported a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value of 0.929, indicating that the sample was suitable for factor analysis.
The Results in Plain Language
The strongest result involved the connection between affective destination image and the decision to visit.
Affective image refers to emotions and feelings. In this study, it included feelings such as pleasure, happiness, excitement and calmness. The statistical relationship between affective destination image and the decision to visit was strong and significant, with a path coefficient of 0.684.
By comparison, cognitive destination image did not significantly influence the decision to visit. Cognitive image refers to what travelers know, believe or think about a destination, including its attractions, infrastructure, safety and cultural value.
This does not mean that information is unimportant. Rather, the result suggests that information alone may not persuade travelers to book a trip. Travelers may know that Taiwan is safe, attractive and culturally interesting, yet still need a positive emotional reason to choose it.
Muslim-friendly attributes significantly influenced cognitive destination image, with a coefficient of 0.391. They also significantly influenced affective destination image, with a coefficient of 0.311.
However, the direct effect of Muslim-friendly attributes on the decision to visit was not significant. Its coefficient was negative 0.087, with a p-value of 0.147.
Religiosity also failed to produce a significant moderating effect. The interaction between religiosity and cognitive destination image recorded a coefficient of negative 0.017, while the interaction with affective destination image recorded 0.018. Both results were statistically insignificant.
Statistical Results
| Relationship tested | Coefficient | Result | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muslim-friendly attributes → Cognitive destination image | 0.391 | Significant | Facilities and services improve what travelers think about Taiwan |
| Muslim-friendly attributes → Affective destination image | 0.311 | Significant | Facilities and services improve how travelers feel about Taiwan |
| Muslim-friendly attributes → Decision to visit | -0.087 | Not significant | Facilities alone did not directly predict a visit decision |
| Affective destination image → Decision to visit | 0.684 | Significant | Positive emotions strongly influenced the intention to visit |
| Cognitive destination image → Decision to visit | 0.079 | Not significant | Knowledge and beliefs alone did not significantly predict visiting |
| Religiosity × Cognitive image → Decision | -0.017 | Not significant | Religiosity did not strengthen this relationship |
| Religiosity × Affective image → Decision | 0.018 | Not significant | Religiosity did not strengthen this relationship |
The study reported that its model explained 54.1% of the variation in the decision to visit, 15.3% of cognitive destination image and 9.7% of affective destination image.
Why Emotion Matters
The results reflect the way many people make travel decisions. Practical information helps travelers compare destinations, but emotions often turn interest into action.
For example, a traveler may read that Taiwan has clean public transport, scenic mountains and reliable tourism services. Those facts create awareness. Yet a video showing a peaceful family trip, a welcoming halal restaurant or an enjoyable cultural experience may create the stronger motivation to travel.
The study’s findings suggest that Taiwan should connect Muslim-friendly facilities with memorable experiences. A prayer room is useful, but tourism campaigns could also show how visitors can enjoy a full day of travel without giving up religious practices.
A halal restaurant can become more than a place to eat. It can form part of a story about discovering Taiwanese culture. Similarly, a prayer facility can be presented as one element of a comfortable and respectful travel experience.
This distinction matters because Muslim travelers are not a single, uniform group. Some prioritize halal certification and prayer access above all else. Others may place equal importance on scenery, food culture, shopping, safety, affordability and emotional enjoyment.
The study found that Indonesian respondents may prepare for travel by bringing prayer equipment or food from home. That behavior may help explain why Muslim-friendly attributes did not directly determine the decision to visit.
In other words, travelers may consider Taiwan even when they expect to manage some religious needs themselves. However, better facilities can still improve their trust and overall impression of the country.
What Taiwan’s Tourism Industry Can Do
The researchers recommend that Taiwan continue developing Muslim-friendly tourism while improving communication and marketing.
First, tourism providers need to make halal information easy to find. Visitors should not have to search across several websites or ask multiple staff members to identify suitable food and prayer facilities.
Second, certification must be visible and understandable. Restaurants and hotels should display recognized halal credentials, explain what the certification covers and avoid confusing claims.
Third, staff training should become a central part of the strategy. A trained employee can answer questions about ingredients, prayer locations and service procedures. Such interactions may strongly influence a traveler’s emotional response.
Fourth, Taiwan can develop complete Muslim-friendly travel routes. These itineraries could combine attractions, halal dining, prayer stops, transportation information and accommodation in one clear plan.
Fifth, the country should communicate in the languages used by its target markets. Indonesian, Malay and Arabic content could make travel planning easier, especially for first-time visitors.
Finally, marketers should focus on real experiences rather than only listing facilities. Campaigns could feature Muslim families, young travelers, students and couples enjoying Taiwan while maintaining their religious practices.
The researchers also suggest that tourist information centers, airports and attractions provide accessible information about halal food, prayer rooms and Muslim-friendly services.
A Market Opportunity With Limits
Taiwan’s Muslim-friendly tourism strategy has clear potential, but the research also highlights important limitations.
The survey focused only on Indonesian Muslim travelers. Indonesia is a major Muslim travel market, yet travelers from Malaysia, Brunei, the Middle East, South Asia and Muslim communities in Western countries may have different expectations.
The respondents were also young, heavily represented by students and mostly low-income. Their travel priorities may differ from those of families, business travelers or older tourists with greater purchasing power.
Moreover, the study relied on an online, cross-sectional survey. This method captures opinions at one point in time, but it cannot fully explain how perceptions change after travelers actually visit Taiwan.
Future studies could interview visitors after their trips, compare different nationalities and examine how halal facilities affect satisfaction, spending and repeat visits.
Tourism authorities should therefore avoid treating the research as a final verdict. Instead, it should serve as a guide for further investment, testing and dialogue with Muslim travelers.
What the Findings Mean for Travelers
For Muslim travelers considering Taiwan, the study suggests that planning remains important.
Visitors should check whether restaurants hold recognized halal certification, confirm prayer-room locations and verify hotel facilities before departure. They may also want to download current tourism applications or contact accommodation providers directly.
At the same time, travelers can expect a destination that is actively working to improve Muslim-friendly services. Taiwan’s public facilities and tourism attractions have expanded their support compared with the situation described for the early 2010s.
Travelers should remember that availability may differ from one city or attraction to another. A facility listed online may also have limited operating hours, so checking current information remains essential.
The wider message is encouraging: Muslim travelers do not need to limit themselves to Muslim-majority destinations. With careful planning, non-Muslim destinations can offer both cultural discovery and practical support for religious observance.
The Broader Lesson
Taiwan’s experience offers a lesson for destinations worldwide. Muslim-friendly tourism is not simply a checklist of prayer rooms, halal restaurants and translated brochures.
Those services form the foundation of trust. However, the destination must also create positive emotions through hospitality, cultural experiences, safety and respectful communication.
The study found that Muslim-friendly attributes improved both the cognitive and affective image of Taiwan. The most powerful factor in the decision to visit, however, was the affective image—the feeling that Taiwan would be enjoyable, welcoming and comfortable.
Consequently, tourism destinations should combine infrastructure with storytelling. They should explain what is available while also showing what travelers can feel and experience.
For Taiwan, the opportunity is significant. If the country continues improving certification, staff knowledge, prayer facilities and multilingual information, it can make the travel experience easier. If it also presents Taiwan as an exciting and welcoming destination, it may convert positive perceptions into actual visits.
The research does not claim that every Muslim traveler will choose Taiwan. Instead, it shows that inclusion can improve a destination’s image—and that emotional connection may determine whether a traveler finally books the trip.
:
