Al-Ta’ayush as a Social Pull Factor in Muslim-Friendly Tourism: Integrating Digital Analytics and GIS Evidence from Klang, Malaysia

Abstract

Muslim-friendly tourism is an inclusive tourism model that responds to the religious, cultural and lifestyle needs of Muslim travellers while remaining open to wider communities. This study examines Al-Ta‘ayush, or peaceful coexistence, as a potential social pull factor in Muslim-friendly tourism development in Klang, Malaysia. Klang was selected because of its historical identity, royal heritage, multicultural religious landscape and nature-based attractions. Using a qualitative digital-interpretivist approach, this study analysed publicly available user-generated content from Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Apify-supported data extraction. The data were cleaned, thematically coded, classified through sentiment analysis and mapped using Geographic Information Systems. The analysis examines online accounts of Muslim-friendly tourism experiences in Klang through five conceptually predefined dimensions: social harmony, inclusivity, proper facilities and management, safety and security, and cultural diversity. Pantai Tanjung Harapan had a high thematic frequency, while online accounts of Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery and the religious-heritage cluster in Klang’s historic core emphasised cultural diversity and perceived coexistence. GIS mapping suggests opportunities to connect attractions, subject to pedestrian-access validation. These online perceptions do not establish community-level coexistence or destination performance. The study concludes that Muslim-friendly tourism should integrate halal needs, heritage conservation, accessibility and multicultural coexistence.