Interpreting Muslim women’s tourist gaze on the coastal landscape of Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

The tourist gaze has long been theorised through secular, Western-centric lenses that overlook how faith, gender, and culture shape what tourists perceive and value. This gap becomes more pressing with the rise of Muslim women travellers, whose growth and distinct needs remain underrepresented in mainstream tourism scholarship and practice. Addressing this, the study aims to investigate the perceptions, expectations, and travel experiences of Muslim women in coastal destinations to broaden the theoretical understanding of the tourist gaze from Muslim women’s perspectives. Specifically, the study examines the Muslim women tourist gaze in the coastal setting of Port Dickson, Malaysia. Adopting an interpretivist qualitative case study, the research draws on semi-structured interviews with 25 participants (15 Muslim women tourists; 10 stakeholders from government, industry, and community) and contextual on-site observations. Data were thematically coded and analysed in ATLAS.ti using inductive and deductive logics aligned with Islamic tourism and tourist gaze literature. Six interrelated themes emerged: (1) Muslim-friendly environment (privacy, safety, halal food, prayer access, cultural respect); (2) Recreational activities (beach leisure, family gatherings, selective water sports contingent on modesty and privacy); (3) Accessibility (good highway links but limited public transport; proximate parking as both practical and religious need); (4) Facilities (cleanliness, adequate toilets and changing rooms, comfortable and well-located prayer spaces as non-negotiables); (5) Environmental concerns (clean beaches, preserved greenery, erosion-conscious landscaping, sustainability as part of appeal and religious stewardship); and (6) Tourists’ perceptions (peace, safety, moderate expectations, desire for diversified attractions, and a distinctive spiritual dimension of contemplation, gratitude, and inner tranquillity). Synthesising these insights, the study proposes the Muslim Women Tourist Gaze, a multidimensional framework showing how religious principles, cultural norms, gendered experiences, and environmental quality mediate perception and participation. A key theoretical contribution is the articulation of a Spiritual Tourist Gaze, coastal landscapes are read through tafakkur (contemplation) and tadabbur (reflection), reframing leisure spaces as sites of worship, moral reflection, and divine appreciation. The study extends tourist gaze theory beyond secular Western frames by centring faith, modesty, and spiritual meaning, and offers practical guidance for Muslim-friendly coastal destination planning (e.g., privacy-enhanced recreation, quality prayer facilities, halal-certified services, inclusive access and parking, cleanliness and environmental stewardship, and culturally sensitive narratives). These findings support more inclusive and sustainable coastal tourism that recognises Muslim women’s voices and needs.