For years, the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) has played a central role in advancing Malaysia’s Islamic tourism agenda, driving policy development, setting industry standards, and delivering capacity-building initiatives across the sector.
As Muslim-friendly tourism continues to evolve globally, strong, forward-looking leadership remains critical to guiding the industry through its next phase of growth.
Building on the solid foundation laid by its previous leadership, ITC now enters a new chapter with the appointment of Mohammad Faisal Abu Suaib Khan as its director-general, signalling a continued commitment to strengthening Malaysia’s position as a leading global destination for Muslim-friendly tourism.
With more than a decade of experience across strategic leadership, public policy, international engagement, and stakeholder management, Mohammad Faisal brings a multidimensional perspective to the role at a time when Malaysia is in the midst of Visit Malaysia 2026 and intensifying efforts to expand its Muslim-friendly tourism ecosystem.
His appointment reflects ITC’s commitment to advancing evidence-based policy, empowering industry, and fostering international collaboration in line with national tourism priorities.
ACADEMIC AND LEADERSHIP CREDENTIALS
Mohammad Faisal holds a Master of Business Administration (Leadership) from Universiti Tun Abdul Razak and a Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice from the Chartered Management Institute in London.
He is pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration at Universiti Utara Malaysia, underscoring his strong grounding in leadership theory, research, and applied management.
His career reflects a strong foundation in strategic planning and governance. From 2014 to 2023, Mohammad Faisal led national-level digital communication initiatives, directing strategic messaging and overseeing content development and engagement performance across multiple platforms.
His earlier professional experience includes managing large-scale events, notably the Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge, where he oversaw planning, logistics, stakeholder coordination, and on-the-ground execution.
Before joining ITC, he served as Corporate Services Director at STF Group, where he optimised financial strategies, managed complex legal matters, and facilitated long-term residency in Malaysia under the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme.
His academic and professional background complements ITC’s growing emphasis on research-driven policy formulation, data-led decision-making, and structured industry development.
ADVANCING ITC’S STRATEGIC MANDATES
As director-general, Mohammad Faisal is expected to play a key role in advancing ITC’s core mandates, including expanding Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR), strengthening industry capacity-building, improving data collection on Muslim tourist markets, and deepening international cooperation with global Islamic tourism and halal economy stakeholders.
His appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as ITC continues to support national tourism strategies, enhance Malaysia’s competitiveness in the global Muslim travel market, and position the country as a benchmark for Muslim-friendly tourism standards and best practice.
With his blend of strategic leadership, policy insight, and international exposure, Mohammad Faisal’s leadership is expected to further reinforce ITC’s role as a key driver of inclusive, sustainable, and globally respected Islamic tourism development.
