Question 1

When was CrescentRating founded?

Accepted Answer

CrescentRating was founded in 2008 in Singapore by Fazal Bahardeen as the first global standard for Muslim-friendly travel. The organization codified what hospitality looks like when it is genuinely inclusive of Muslim travelers, with the same audit rigor applied to any global travel standard.

Question 2

What is the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI)?

Accepted Answer

The Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) is the industry's definitive benchmark for destinations serving the Muslim travel market. Co-published by CrescentRating and Mastercard since 2015, the 10th Anniversary edition was released in 2025 and covers 150+ destinations. GMTI is the world's most cited index for Muslim-friendly travel policy.

Question 3

What is the ACES Framework?

Accepted Answer

ACES is CrescentRating's destination evaluation framework, deployed in 2017 as the new industry benchmark for assessing how well destinations serve Muslim travelers. Together with the RIDA Framework (2024) and TRUST Framework (2025), it forms the proprietary toolkit national tourism organizations use to benchmark national competitiveness in the Muslim travel market.

Question 4

Who are CrescentRating's institutional partners?

Accepted Answer

CrescentRating partners with Mastercard (since 2014, co-publisher of the GMTI), UNHCR (co-released a landmark report on forced travel for women in 2019), national tourism organizations worldwide, and global hospitality groups. CrescentRating was admitted as an Affiliate Member of UN Tourism in 2025 and elected to the PATA Board in 2026.

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