@ Halal Xtra 12 November-December 2021
COVER STORY
Islamic tourism holds promise Malaysia ’ s industry players have worked hard to create confidence in the market
BY KHIRTINI K KUMARAN
TRAVEL AND tourism were among the first sectors that were severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic . All borders were closed , and domestic and international trips were restricted almost instantaneously to contain the virus .
However , as mass vaccination programmes began ramping up worldwide , the tourism sector is also set to rebound .
Malaysia followed suit and took steps towards tourism recovery by carefully implementing necessary protocols and best practices and driving the Muslim tourism market as a critical recovery strategy .
“ The Malaysian government projects that 90 per cent of the total Malaysian population will be fully vaccinated by Nov 2021 . It is an ideal situation to reopen and receive international tourists . The Prime Minister has indicated that we should open our international tourism before year end , and we are monitoring the situation closely ,” said Tourism , Arts and Culture Minister Dato Sri Nancy Shukri .
“ Moreover , our industry players have worked hard to create confidence in the market .
“ W i t h all systems in place for vaccination rollout , detection , and control , we can assure travellers of the effective management of the pandemic to make way for tourism to flourish .”
Malaysia on the right track
The Ministry of Tourism , Arts and Culture ( MOTAC ) looks forward to reconnecting and re-engaging with domestic and international partners to strengthen the tourism economy beyond the pandemic .
Referring to the development and success of the Langkawi travel bubble , Nancy believes Malaysia is on the right track , firstly with domestic recovery and then reopening of borders to welcome international tourists in stages .
“ Based on our observations of the Langkawi travel bubble , the response from consumers shows that the desire for travel is strong . Industry players are ready to serve travellers again and are welcoming tourists with joy while ensuring the health and safety protocols are in place .”
MOTAC is also considering several strategies for the safe reopening of tourism , including the possibility of charter flight operations , visa applications , flight accessibility , quarantine processes and vaccine passports .
She explained : “ In assuring our travel industry-readiness , we understand the importance of balancing risks alongside economic recovery , the livelihood of the local community , and the wellbeing of both citizens and visitors .”
Malaysia ’ s Muslim-friendly tourism
Under the National Tourism Policy , Muslim-friendly tourism is the priority strategy to strengthen Malaysia ’ s tourism appeal .
“ Our goals are to establish Malaysia as the global centre for Muslim-Friendy hotel certification , to be the centre of reference for Muslim- Friendly tourism , to raise the service quality of Muslim-friendly tourism and hospitality , and to become a leading destination for Islamic contemporary lifestyle offerings as well as healthcare and wellness services and solutions ,” said Nancy .
The Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ) is the lead agency for this strategy . It has been driving tourism industry players and various economic sectors to tap into the Muslim tourist market .
“ Through ITC , we helped industry players find hope in other market avenues . One of the efforts was to show the potential of the Muslim tourism market as a sustainable and lucrative market to tap into .” It led to the strengthening of ITC ’ s Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Recognition ( MFAR ) branding in 2020 , which advances a hotel ’ s branding among Muslim travellers , and enables hoteliers to pursue a target market that was on the rise .
The initiative , said Nancy , provided a framework that hotel operators could easily apply to be deemed a Muslimfriendly hotel , thus attracting the niche yet lucrative Muslim tourist market .
It gives recognition to local and international-brand hotels in Malaysia that fulfil the needs of the Muslim tourist market .
Currently , 44 local and international-brand hotels in Malaysia are recognised as Muslim-friendly by ITC .
“ We are heartened to see the increased interest from the hospitality industry . Hotels with the MFAR branding will find they have opened themselves up to a new and potentially lucrative market , such as the Muslim tourism market . Their onsite halal food & beverage establishments will expand their market size , and the hotels can incorporate more ideas to cater to this market .”
A spin-off benefit from this is that it also spurs the halal economy from food supply chains and logistics for the F & B of the hotel to the use of local Muslim-friendly fashion and products as hotel merchandise .
Spurring halal economic sectors
The Islamic Tourism economy , said Nancy , is all-inclusive and encompasses various sectors - travel , finance , medical , media and entertainment , medical , food & beverage , technology , telecommunications , transportation , education , retail , etc .
“ When thinking about the Muslim consumers , there is none closer to us than the Muslim tourists who visit our country .
“ When they are here , they aren ’ t just customers of the tourism industry . They are also here as consumers of our
Mosque tourism development activities attended by the Minister of Tourism , Arts and Culture , along with the Secretary-General of MOTAC and the Director-General of ITC .