Affluent Muslims fueling global tourism boom

The international tourism industry is gradually awakening to an emerging travel market that is twice the size of China’s, and bigger than that of the US — affluent Muslim holidaymakers with money to spend.

At the world’s largest travel trade show, which wrapped up in Germany over the weekend, attendees at ITB Berlin heard that Muslim holidaymakers spend more than $126 billion USD annually on tourism — and that the numbers are rising.

It’s a market that forward-thinking countries such as Australia and New Zealand have been catering to, launching special Muslim-oriented travel products that respond to their dietary and religious needs.

Queensland Tourism, for instance, has set up a special website dedicated to halal travel for tourists that includes a listing of halal restaurants and mosques. Last year, the website pitched the Gold Coast as the destination to spend Ramadan with the tag line “Why not try Gold Coast for a cooler Ramadan this year?”

During the Muslim holy month, Surfers Paradise Marriott Courtyard also sets up a Ramadan Lounge where Muslim guests can break their fast with dates, snacks and coffee — all efforts that have helped increase the number of Muslim visitors by 38 percent, each of whom spend on average $7,000 a head, heard ITB attendees.

Similarly, New Zealand’s tourism office launched a new culinary tourism guide last year, listing halal restaurants and cafes, including vegetarian, vegan and halal-certified dishes. The guide is distributed among travel agents and New Zealand embassies.

Aside from meeting dietary requirements, catering to Muslim travel needs ranges from offering prayer rooms, prayer rugs, pre-sunrise breakfast services during Ramadan, family-friendly, alcohol-free hotels with separate wellness areas for women.

Meanwhile, Muslim travel consultancy group Crescentrating named Malaysia the world’s best Muslim-friendly holiday destination last year based on factors such as safety, Muslim-centered hotel amenities, and access to halal foods and prayer facilities. For example, it’s not uncommon to find prayer rooms in airports, shopping malls and other public spaces in Malaysia.

New Zealand leaders want Sonny Bill in Muslim list

WELLINGTON — New Zealand Islamic leaders are pushing to have All Black and “Muslim superstar” Sonny Bill Williams listed among the world’s 500 most influential Muslims, it was reported Sunday.

They are disappointed the world champion midfield back failed to make the 2011 list and will be writing to compilers — the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Jordan — to have him included next year.

The Centre says its annual list provides a window on the “movers and shakers of the Muslim world”, gives an insight into the ways Muslims impact on the world, and “shows the diversity of how people are living as Muslims today”.

Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand senior vice-president Javed Khan said he will be writing to the centre to tell them about Williams, the Herald on Sunday reported.

“Sonny Bill Williams is probably the most famous Muslim in New Zealand and, in a Rugby World Cup year, has brought the faith to prominence,” Khan said.

“I think the only reason he was not included in the list is because these people are not aware of the existence of New Zealand’s Muslim superstar and we’ll be writing to them to make sure he’s there next year.”

Williams converted to Islam in 2008 after attending prayer services at a Sydney mosque.

Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah topped the 2011 list of most influential Muslims.

New Zealand launches a halal tourism guide

As Muslim travelers increasingly change their tourism preferences from traditional trips to Macca to beach holidays, a number of countries are adapting their tourism offers to the Islamic culture and beliefs. Last Friday New Zealand launched a new culinary tourism guide focusing on meeting the needs of Halal travelers.

New Zealand Tourism and Christchurch International Airport have launched a new culinary tourism guide focusing on meeting the needs of Halal travelers. Wanting to capitalize on the country’s geographic position – close to some of the world’s largest Muslim populations like Indonesia and Malaysia, the new guide aims to attract one of the world’s fastest growing tourism markets.

The guide provides general tourism information as well as a list of Halal classified restaurants and cafes including Halal-certified and vegetarian dishes or vegan cuisine. The new guide will be distributed among travel agents and their customers as well as New Zealand embassies offshore.

In recent years, Muslim tourism in New Zealand has been growing steadily. Last August alone, the number of Muslim visitors to the country was up by 141 percent, compared to the same month last year. According to Tourism New Zealand, Muslim tourists’ expenditure is expected to rise to more than 13 percent of the entire global tourism expenditure by 2020.

As part of the program, the agency is offering a series of workshops for the tourism industry, with the aim of providing information on how to meet needs and expectations of the Halal market.

Halal tourism is a new product in the tourism market, designed to meet the needs and beliefs of Islamic culture. Some hotels like Club Familia, have been adapting their practices to suit Islamic customs, especially in countries such as Turkey. These include Halal food, separate swimming pools for men and women, no alcoholic drinks and, women-only beach areas with Islamic swimming etiquette. Some hotels also include prayer facilities.

This year, Australia’s Queensland office of tourism advertised the Gold Coast as a place to spend Ramadan, with the phrase “Why not try Gold Coast for a cooler Ramadan this year?”

NZ politician apologises for anti-Muslim slur

A New Zealand MP has apologized for anti-Muslim comments which sparked condemnation across the political spectrum.

In a magazine column, Richard Prosser said that young men who were Muslim, looked like Muslims, or came from Muslim countries, should be banned from flying on Western airlines because they posed a terrorist threat.

Today Mr Prosser said he had gone too far, and that the vast majority of Muslims were peaceful and law-abiding.

“I realize that’s caused offence to those people unjustifiably and unnecessarily and I’m apologizing to them unreservedly,” he said.

But the New Zealand First MP says there needs to be a debate about the merits of targeted profiling of air passengers.

“I shouldn’t have called for a blanket ban, I should have called for an investigation into the merits of targeted profiling,” he told Radio New Zealand, without elaborating.

“That was something I shouldn’t have done and I’m apologizing for that.”

However, he said he had no regrets about calling Islam a “stone-age religion” in a column published in the conservative current affairs magazine Investigate.

“I was talking about Islam and I make no apology for the fact that I don’t have any time for people who denigrate women, and I don’t have any time for institutions, whatever they might be, that suppress people’s human rights,” he said.

Mr Prosser also denied that a reference to people’s rights being “denigrated by a sorry pack of misogynist troglodytes from Wogistan” was racist, saying “there are probably some people who get upset too easily”.

New Zealand launches a halal tourism guide

As Muslim travelers increasingly change their tourism preferences from traditional trips to Macca to beach holidays, a number of countries are adapting their tourism offers to the Islamic culture and beliefs. Last Friday New Zealand launched a new culinary tourism guide focusing on meeting the needs of Halal travelers.

New Zealand Tourism and Christchurch International Airport have launched a new culinary tourism guide focusing on meeting the needs of Halal travelers. Wanting to capitalize on the country’s geographic position – close to some of the world’s largest Muslim populations like Indonesia and Malaysia, the new guide aims to attract one of the world’s fastest growing tourism markets.

The guide provides general tourism information as well as a list of Halal classified restaurants and cafes including Halal-certified and vegetarian dishes or vegan cuisine. The new guide will be distributed among travel agents and their customers as well as New Zealand embassies offshore.

In recent years, Muslim tourism in New Zealand has been growing steadily. Last August alone, the number of Muslim visitors to the country was up by 141 percent, compared to the same month last year. According to Tourism New Zealand, Muslim tourists’ expenditure is expected to rise to more than 13 percent of the entire global tourism expenditure by 2020.

As part of the program, the agency is offering a series of workshops for the tourism industry, with the aim of providing information on how to meet needs and expectations of the Halal market.

Halal tourism is a new product in the tourism market, designed to meet the needs and beliefs of Islamic culture. Some hotels like Club Familia, have been adapting their practices to suit Islamic customs, especially in countries such as Turkey. These include Halal food, separate swimming pools for men and women, no alcoholic drinks and, women-only beach areas with Islamic swimming etiquette. Some hotels also include prayer facilities.

This year, Australia’s Queensland office of tourism advertised the Gold Coast as a place to spend Ramadan, with the phrase “Why not try Gold Coast for a cooler Ramadan this year?”