Halal tourism:
Halal tourism means tourism based on Islamic religious values that follow the laws of Islam, which are related to Muslim families. The term halal in Arabic means permission, and in its conceptual meaning, it is permission, that is, what Muslims are permitted to do according to Islam. Historically, however, a large proportion of Islamic travel has been driven by religious reasons, such as the annual Hajj pilgrimage. But over the past few years, Muslims, like everyone else around the world, have been discovering new places and seeking authentic and unique travel experiences that are somewhat different from pilgrimage.
This desire for discovery has made Muslim travelers one of the fastest growing sectors in the tourism industry. “Halal” tourism has clearly become a growing sector in the tourism market as one of the new products in the tourism industry that can be significant in the Muslim or non-Muslim market.
The importance of halal tourism:
Today, more than one-fifth of the world’s population are Muslim. Of the world’s 7.4 billion people, 1.6 billion are followers of Islam, and many live in areas of rapid economic growth, such as Asia and the Middle East. This has increased investment and increased consumer spending, which has exceeded the global average. With the growth of the Islamic economy in the countries in Asia and the Middle East, many countries – whether Muslim or non-Muslim – have sought to attract Muslim travelers from these destinations.
According to MasterCard and Crescent rankings, more than 230 million Muslim tourists are expected to start their journey inside and outside the country by 2026, when Muslim travelers will inject $ 300 billion into the global economy. Therefore, the main factor in the study of halal tourism can be the reason for population growth, middle class growth and young population growth in Muslim countries on the one hand, and the rapid pace of technological innovation, increasing enthusiasm for social activities and changing the population of travelers around the world on the other hand.
Also, travel, on one hand increases the availability of Muslim-friendly travel services and facilities, while, on the other hand, has increased the desire to travel in these areas, which has dramatically changed the Muslim travel market in recent years. This is considered as a growing potential in a geographical area that they are based on Islamic religion and culture.
Halal tourism elements:
Halal tourism is a subset of tourism and the elements of tourism in all its types include transportation, accommodation, catering services, tourist attractions and ancillary facilities for travelers. However, halal tourism elements are not different from other types of tourism. Therefore, halal tourism and hospitality services in all stages of travel, including airlines, hotels, tourist attractions and amenities should provide the elements of tourism for the well-being of Muslim tourists. Based on the religion of Islam, nine factors were identified as the basic needs that affects the consumption behavior of Muslim travelers: 1) Halal food 2) Prayer facilities 3) Proper health service 4) Lack of phobia of Islam 5) Social causes 6) Ramadan services 7) Local experiences of Muslims 8) Recreational spaces with privacy 9) Lack of non-halal services