NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2022 | 13
BY FATIHAH MANAF
THE success of Islamic tourism is driven by the cooperation of many components , including the spa industry ’ s introduction of Muslimfriendly spas . Aside from improving the excellent image of the spa industry , which is often associated with shady businesses , Muslimfriendly spas also offer job opportunities to youth , especially male spa therapists .
According to Liz Othman , the owner of Teratak Spa and the President of the Malaysia Association of Wellness Trainers , the 3rd World Islamic Tourism Conference ( WITC ) was an eye-opener for all tourism operators to explore the opportunities in the Muslim-friendly tourism sector .
“ There are many opportunities for us to explore , especially after the pandemic . We need to rebrand and restructure our businesses . To me , I look at Muslim-friendly tourism as a new approach for us to adopt .”
BENEFITS OF ADOPTING MUSLIM-FRIENDLY BRANDING FOR THE SPA INDUSTRY
She opined that the needs and wants of Muslim travellers had changed after the pandemic . The travellers now focus more on spiritual and health needs . Therefore ,
Creating job opportunities
The Muslim-friendly branding benefits the spa industry in many ways
Liz believes the Muslim-friendly spa is an untapped market , and spa operators must grab this opportunity to rebound their businesses .
“ There are many benefits of adopting Muslim-friendly branding . First , it can clean
Liz Othman the negative perception of the spa industry . Second , with this new business model , you can attract new clients . It elevates your business to the next level . Practising the Muslim-friendly spa standards Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ) developed can boost the client ’ s confidence in your spa treatments .
“ The concept of Muslim-friendly spas also attracts and retains local spa therapists . It attracts new talents to this industry without them having to worry about doing a massage to the opposite gender . I see this as a job opportunity for male spa therapists to enter the industry .” — R & R
Sharing the beauty of Islam
Yayasan Restu aims to preserve Islamic arts and revive them in the Southeast Asian region
ONE of the things Islam offers to the world is its beautiful Islamic arts and culture . Realising the importance of preserving Islamic arts , Yayasan Restu was established to revive them in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world . Up to this date , the foundation has created various products containing various Islamic arts elements .
Mohamed Anwar Abu Bakar , Head of Marketing and Public Relations at Yayasan Restu , shared that Yayasan Restu has been around for almost 30 years .
“ We had a humble beginning where we started with 10 people , with just an activity of copying the Quran . We thought we could buy the manuscript from Saudi and start doing our work here . However , to own the intellectual property ( IP ), they charge us a few million US dollars . With that amount , we realised we would instead train our local staff .
“ We have a college . We trained them how to write in this course called the Diploma in Mushaf Arts - you have the Islamic arts , the floral and geometric sides .”
After a long journey and thorough research , it took Yayasan Restu 10 years to produce the first Quran , which was hand-copied , written and illuminated . From the core of beautifying the Quran , the foundation takes the culture of the arts to other spaces - art spaces , interior designs , 3D , holograms , etc .
WITC AS A LEARNING PLATFORM
Touching on the 3rd World Islamic Tourism Conference ( WITC ), Anwar stated that it was an opportunity for Muslims or non-Muslims to come and witness how tourism could address Islamophobia and misconception about Islam .
“ This is one of the venues where we can
Nasyrul Quran is the world ' s second-largest Quran production centre after the King Fahd Complex in Madinah .
( Above right ) Rehlah Nabawiyyah Tour .
Mohamed Anwar Abu Bakar
tackle this misconception that certain groups of people are doing for their benefit . It is an opportunity for everyone to understand what Islam is all about indirectly . It is a way of life .
“ Everyone , especially the nongovernmental organisations ( NGOs ) and business owners , can take advantage of this kind of programme and encourage the coming generations , like students , to come and participate and learn from some of the social enterprises .” — R & R