Taipei wins 'Muslim Women-friendly' tourism award at Singapore event

Singapore, June 12 (CNA) Taipei has been named the 2025 Muslim Women-friendly City Destination of the Year by CrescentRating at its 2025 Halal in Travel Awards held Thursday in Singapore.

Shen Yung-hua (沈永華), secretary-general of the Taipei City Government's Department of Information and Tourism, traveled to Singapore to accept the award on behalf of the city government, the department said.

In a press release, CrescentRating -- whose website describes itself as "the world's leading authority on halal-friendly travel" -- also said that Taiwan ranked fourth in the 2025 Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) among destinations that are not members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

According to the Taipei tourism department, the ranking reflects the city's efforts to create a diverse, inclusive and safe environment for Muslim travelers.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the award represents international recognition of the Muslim-friendly efforts of Taiwan's capital city, following its earlier recognition in 2023 as the Most Promising Muslim-friendly City Destination of the Year (non-OIC).

Chiang added that Taipei is committed to being a "diverse and inclusive city."

Yu Hsiang (余祥), head of the city's Department of Information and Tourism, said Taipei has promoted a "Muslim-friendly Attractions and Accommodations Guidance Program" since 2019 and helped nearly 100 locations and accommodations receive certification.

He added that the department also runs a Halal Travel Guide section on its website, with information available in Indonesian and other languages.

The department plans to lead tourism industry representatives to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in late July to further promote Taipei tourism.