Category: Travel & Hospitality
Saudi Tourism Strategy Takes Shape
Looks like Saudi Arabia is also looking to diversify into tourism. It will be interesting to see what this means and how they develop Halal tourism in their country. Separate facilities for men and women? They could be very successful in this new developing niche market.
The Year of Faith Tourism 2009
Well did you know that 2009 is The Year of Faith Tourism? Now you do. Wonder if the new Halal and Islamic travel and tourism companies will be taking advantage of this? “All sectors of society are encouraged to become actively involved including the media, governments, travel providers/suppliers, faith communities, and individuals.” Apparently faith based travel, tourism and hospitality is an $18 billion industry! Time to launch a few Halal hotels and Halal tour packages.
British Airways launches new ‘taste team’
It is a good sign – and good business sense – that British Airways is catering to the Muslim Halal food market in the GCC region by giving them a nice serving of British cuisine Halal style! I thought the national dish for Britain was curry these days! This is all in line with the new push on Halal tourism. At least if you can eat good food in the air it might make you feel a bit better about paying the higher airfares.
Halal Tourism
Once again ‘Halal Tourism’ is coming into travel market news. It is a budding industry that cannot be ignored and the interesting thing is that one of the target markets for this sector is the European Muslims.
5 ways to fly for cheap
Here is a Halal tip from HalalFocus. CNNMoney is writing on how to get the discount air fares needed for travel these days when fuel surcharges are hiking prices up – while you can that is!
Western branding for next generation Sharia hotels
Dubai-based
Almulla Hospitality plans an international chain of 150
Sharia-compliant hotels by 2015. Around 90 are planned in the Middle
East and North Africa, but the remainder will be Europe, Asia and North
America – and Almulla says it will develop non-Muslim brand names.
Kipp’s healthcheck on Arab brands’ global ambition
Though there is no mention of Halal product brands in this article it is showing that products going out internationally from this region are going to increase. Let’s see with the recent article we put up about UAE increasing its production of Halal food products whether these manufacturers will also consider the international Halal marketplace.
Islamic hotels spread beyond Gulf
Shariah-compliant hotels are mushrooming throughout
the Middle East and elsewhere, boosted by an increase in the number of
Arab tourists. The developers of these hotels believe these
establishments will appeal to Muslims and non-Muslims alike as they
provide a culturally unique and relaxing atmosphere for travellers.
Halal travel packages "will prove successful"
Middle Eastern countries seeking to emulate Dubai’s successful foray into
tourism are in search of ways to entice Middle Eastern tourists. By creating
Halal packages that incorporate activities and services in keeping with Islamic
law, companies are creating a concept that Euromonitor International predicts
will prove successful.
The recent World Travel Market report has a section on Halal travel (pages 18-21) that are worth reading for anyone interested in this sector.
Thai Airways International Halal Kitchen now Fully Certified
Responding to growing demand from thousands of Muslim travellers every
day, Thai Airways International has signed an MoU with the Islamic
Committee of Samut Prakarn Province to receive permission for usage of
the Halal Logo by the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand.
Requirements for developing RP’s halal industry identified
Creation of a national brand for halal products and formation of a
single regulatory and certifying body are key to developing a halal
industry that is capable of penetrating the $200-billion foreign
market. Heads of at least six government line agencies in Central Mindanao made
this assertion on Tuesday, among them the departments of Science and
Technology, of Health, of Tourism and of Agriculture, as well as the
National Economic and Development Authority.
Islamic Hotels Will Soon Be a ‘Riyal’ Thing
Last July the Packaged Traveler Insider wrote that faith-based travel is one of the fastest growing markets,
evolving from a one-time niche to mainstream. The article noted that
religious travel earned a record $18 billion in 2006. Additionally, the World Tourism Organization reports that travelers from the Gulf Co-operation Council countries spend over $12 billion annually on leisure travel alone.
Health & Medical Tourism 2008
This is a platform for Global Competency in Technology Transfer
(Biotechnology-Medicine for the Earth: Biodynamic Preparations) and
Halal Healthcare – pharmaceutical & healthcare innovations).
The new trend in medical tourism is attempting to be the new niche market. The potential is there, let’s see if they can create the awareness and if countries will respond accordingly to attract this new type of tourist.
Muslim Hotel Complex to Appear in Kazan
The Islamic bank of development intends to finanace constructing of a
hotel-restaurant complex in Kazan (the Republic of Tatarstan) that
would work in accordance with the laws of Islam. According to the
bank’s press-service, the complex will become an important part of the
Kazan infrastructure and is a charity project.
Jawhara Gardens Hotel receives ISO 9001:2000 certification
Jawhara
Hotels part of the UAE based business conglomerate S.S. Lootah Group
received the ‘BS EN ISO 9001:2000’ certification for its Jawhara
Gardens Hotel.
Jawhara
Gardens is the flagship hotel of the Jawhara chain and has always
pursued excellence in its processes where everything right from
cleaning of the hotel up to accounting follows the Islamic and Halal
concept.
Al Islami Foods acquires chunk of ‘Al Farooj Fresh’ chain
Reinforcing its
leading position, Al Islami Foods today announced acquiring a major
share in Al Farooj Fresh, a UAE based restaurant chain. The move
propels Al Islami into a strong position in the fast growing and
profitable hospitality segment of the UAE, starting with freshly baked
and wholesome fresh Shawerma wraps, a new global healthy trend in the
fast food industry.
Islamic hotel review: Tamani, Dubai Marina
The 55 storey Tamani deluxe serviced apartment hotel in the Dubai Marina opened this week, the first of four upcoming Islamic hotels in Dubai operated by KM Holding, part of the Al Rostamani Group.
‘This
is a market niche and hotels in such niches actually tend to do even
better than standard hotels,’ said Khalid A. bin Sulayem, director
general of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing at
the launch today.
Thai Airways receives Halal Certificate
BANGKOK, Feb 3 (TNA) – National carrier Thai Airways International
(THAI) on Sunday received a certificate for Halal food prepared by its
catering department.
No article here, just a notice for world travellers who want to eat Halal food on board.
Over US$1 trillion committed to developing the region’s Leisure Landscape.
A staggering US$1.006 trillion (US$1006 billion) has been committed
to Leisure projects across the region. Development of the ‘Leisure
Landscape’ is a critical part of a total travel and tourism
investment of $3.63 trillion encompassing hotels, leisure projects,
aviation developments, cruise lines, tourism promotion and supporting
infrastructure, across the Middle East, according to the latest findings
of a major region wide research programme unveiled today.
Jawhara: A Hotel With An Islamic Image
You will notice that the coming trend in the UAE is Islamic/Halal hotels and tourism. This article is just another example of another hotel group seeing the potential of this market. The sooner these venues become international the more muslims will look for them and the number will increase. With Halal food on the menu, once again the Halal industry will find another sector to expand into.
