Muslim-friendly tourism expected to hit Sh20 trillion in three years, but few hotels cater for the needs of these travellers.
Halal travel was previously a niche market limited to pilgrimages, but Muslim-friendly destinations are now attracting many tourists seeking a leisure holiday with morals.
Kenya has no hotels that are fully halal— with environments free of alcohol, separate curtained swimming pools and beaches for men and women, rooms with prayer mats and compasses pointing towards Mecca for daily prayers.
However, Mohammed Hersi, a hotelier and chief executive of the Heritage Hotels chain says many hotels “have taken note of the needs of strict Muslim travellers.’’ “It starts from the kitchen preparation of food to its presentation and dining facilities especially during the month of Ramadhan,” he said.
Mr Hersi notes that most of the strict Muslim travellers come from Asia, the UK, Canada and USA and want comfort in facilities that provide services in line with the Islamic faith.
Globally, hotels are tailoring their services. For instance, luxurious The Dorchester in London provides Arabic speaking staff to accommodate the wealthy customers from the oil-rich Gulf.
Halal travel is a growing with tourists numbers expected to hit 150 million by the year 2020 and spending set to reach $200 billion (Sh20 trillion), according to a study by UK firm Context Consulting.
“Last year, international Muslim visitor arrivals were 117 million with Asia and Europe being the leading regions attracting the holidaymakers,” the report said.
Most of the travellers originate from the Middle East where the economic growth has over the years given rise to a younger, more educated, wealthier consumer with desire for international travel.
“Halal travellers want to be able to travel to non-Muslim countries just as easily as they can go to Muslim destinations. Some families also want to show their children the richness of the world and different realities,’’ the Halal Trip 2016 survey commissioned by Amadeus notes.
Marketing hotels
Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Indonesia and Qatar rank as the top five destinations attracting the Muslim traveller from across the globe. Other destinations include Saudi Arabia, Oman, Singapore, Morocco and Jordan.
The Halal Trip study showed that 54 per cent of the tourists travelled to African nations, highlighting the need for Kenyan hoteliers to attract the untapped market.
For most hoteliers, the fear is in alienating non-Muslims when marketing the halal destinations.
In Dubai, some hotels market themselves as ‘‘unique family oriented hospitality’’ despite the fact that they cater to Muslim needs, the Global Islamic 2015-2016 Economy Report notes.
For instance, Shaza Luxury Hotel, focuses on authentic Arabian hospitality and therefore appeals Muslims and non-Muslims.
Being Muslim-friendly means different things to different hoteliers. Some broadcast the prayer calls within the hotel rooms, conduct prayers, show religious programming on TV, offer halal foods and accommodate late-night request of fasting guests.
For others, it means having separate swimming pools, beaches and spa areas and no-alcohol policy.
Women play a major role in selecting the travel experience and a huge focus is placed on how they can maximise their cultural return on the investment, the Halal Trip 2016 survey noted. For hoteliers to woo the halal-conscious traveller, focus may need to shift to women.
It’s not just about the destinations but also the airlines and airports.
Middle East airlines like Etihad and Qatar Airways provide prayer facilities and halal dining options. Japan has started installing prayer rooms in airports ahead of Olympics 2020 to attract Muslim travellers.
With so many options available there is no reason to plan a good holiday and have some fun time with family.
