May-June . 2022 | Glam Halal

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MFTR is a voluntary rating that examines and evaluates tourism properties in the Maldives , including hotels , resorts , safaris , and guesthouses , based on their level of Muslim friendliness . It is an annual rating that ensures the services and amenities comply with Muslim etiquettes .

Before awarding the MFTR accreditation , Maldives Halal Travel would conduct thorough inspections at participating properties to see if their establishments fit the agency ’ s requirements . A tourism property is evaluated on halal food , recreational facilities for males and females , conservative dress code , Muslim-friendly amenities , level of privacy , non-halal activities , services in the month of Ramadan , prayer facilities , and financial transitions .

Based on Maldives Halal Travel ’ s evaluation , JEN Maldives Malé by Shangri-La scored five stars for the accreditation and is now considered a top-class establishment with exclusive services for Muslim travellers .

A small ceremony was held at the hotel to commemorate the special occasion . During the ceremony , Maldives Halal Travel Founder and Managing Director Dr Hussain Sunny Umar handed over a special plaque to the General Manager of JEN Maldives , Brice Lunot .

Following the recognition , JEN Maldives will also enjoy a certification issued by Maldives Halal Travel and a stamp identifying them as a 5-star MFTR rated property to be used in their marketing materials .

MFTR acts as a stand-alone accreditation business focused on producing trusted and reliable Muslim-friendly rating results for domestic and international visitors . Maldives Halal Travel believes the rating system will enable and encourage more Muslim travellers to visit a tourism property .

JEN Maldives Malé by Shangri-La .

Dr Hussain Sunny Umar ( left ) handed over a special plaque to Brice Lunot .

MALAYSIA HAS emerged as the No . 1 nation that best supports the multi-trillion dollar global Islamic economy , revealed DinarStandard in its State of the Global Islamic Economy ( SGIE ) Report 2022 . The report offers a comprehensive insight into the best-performing countries to address the growing Islamic economy opportunity .

Malaysia remains in the top spot in the overall rankings for the ninth consecutive year , followed by Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) and Indonesia . The report ’ s Global Islamic Economy Indicator ( GIEI ) Score ranks Malaysia in the top spot in four out of six sectors : Muslim-friendly travel , Islamic finance , halal food and media and recreation . Malaysia was placed second in the pharma and cosmetics category and ninth in the modest fashion sector .

In terms of Muslim-Friendly travel , Malaysia was included in the top five Muslim travel destination countries , alongside Turkey , Saudi Arabia , the UAE and Iran . Malaysia ’ s strengths in this area were attributed to ease of travel and public awareness .

“ Alhamdulillah , Malaysia is on the right track in preparing the tourism industry players for the burgeoning Muslim tourist market . During the pandemic , the Ministry of Tourism , Arts and Culture ( MOTAC ), through its agency , Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ), has ramped up efforts to train and upskill tourism industry stakeholders to understand and cater to this market with its unique faith-based needs .

“ ITC has supported the industry by developing standards and guidelines to strengthen the Muslim tourism and hospitality service delivery . Islamic Tourism ecosystem and the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality branding are the way forward as we safely reopen Malaysia ’ s borders to new and returning visitors ,” said MOTAC Minister Dato Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri .

The recovery of the Muslim-friendly travel sector will depend on tourism industry players embracing the new opportunities and new trends in travel , as indicated in the SGIE report .

“ In championing Islamic Tourism , one of the narratives we use to drive industry interest is that Islamic tourism strengthens business growth , environmental awareness and protection , tolerance , integration , cultural and heritage appreciation and more ,” said ITC Director-General Dato ’ Dr Mohmed Razip Hasan .

The State of the Global Islamic Economy Report is an annual publication released by DinarStandard , in partnership with Salaam Gateway , Islamic economy news and media platform supported by the Dubai Economy and Tourism Department .

According to the report , sustainability is a key focus area in tourism recovery . The pandemic ’ s impacts on tourism have made governments and businesses more aware of environmental and community care .

Moving forward , tourism industry players can expect demands for personalised travel services and the dependency on travel agencies to grow to help travellers navigate their post-pandemic journey and the diverse travel requirements .