Halal travel gets green light

Muslim travellers are shaping the way countries welcome tourists as hotels reassess food menus and cultural sensibilities, especially concerning women

AS the US applies the pilliwinks to travellers from select Muslim countries (starting with Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Iran), holidaymakers from Islamic nations are renewing their romance with Asia, from shopping in Singapore to sampling exotic monsoon downpours in Penang or Mumbai.

Asian countries have been quick to respond with Muslim friendly features like halal restaurants and even alcohol-free halal hotels – with separate lifts for men and women, segregated swimming pool hours, prayer mats, and food prepared according to religious requirements. While all this may appear excessively prudish and unmanageable by Western standards, it has been nothing short of liberating for many Muslim travellers, especially women.

The halal craze is not some faddish rush to cosy up to a new poster-child demographic in the hope of a few crumbs. It is very serious business with serious underpinnings. Islamic travel is estimated to be worth US$220 billion by 2020, and that green carpet is rolling out faster than you could say, “Salaam aleikum,” or “Take that Mr Trump.”

Vijay Verghese

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Interestingly, India (ranked 40th worldwide on this scale) has the second largest Muslim population in the world behind Indonesia. Yet it weighed in below Buddhist Sri Lanka (with its score of 49) and the much abused USA that pulled off a somewhat respectable 48.9.

According to the Singapore-based CrescentRating that has just concluded its latest survey with MasterCard, called the Global Muslim Travel Index 2017, or GMTI, there were 121 million Muslim visitor arrivals in 2016. In Asia, the countries best poised for the influx, are Singapore and Malaysia.

Based on points awarded for ‘attractiveness to Muslim tourists’, Asia topped the GMTI with a score of 57.6, followed by Africa with 47. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Americas racked up just 33 points.

Individually, Malaysia led the rankings with a score of 81.9, followed by UAE (76.9) and Indonesia (72.6).

Singapore (10th overall) with 67.3 outperformed both Bangladesh (60) and India (48.7). Interestingly, India (ranked 40th worldwide on this scale) has the second largest Muslim population in the world behind Indonesia. Yet it weighed in below Buddhist Sri Lanka (with its score of 49) and the much abused USA that pulled off a somewhat respectable 48.9.

This will come as a surprise to staunch Indophiles, if not to others convalescing from Delhi Belly and the after effects of foolhardy street food adventures. But the culprit, say travel business experts, is not food. It’s safety. Too many toe-curling headlines have left demand for India limp, regardless of whether travellers are Muslim or not. That is part of a larger malaise.

And while several great Indian hotel chains from Taj and Oberoi to Leela, all brim with the right sort of Muslim-friendly sensibility, none can claim the green mantle. They are not strictly in any sense halal hotels, sorely lacking in prudence on alcohol consumption and the necessary male-female segregation to earn that nom de guerre.

One might argue that in India, despite the machinations of a saffron government, syncretic, tolerant Islam is so much part of the nation’s fabric that catering exclusively for the halal crowd would be as risible as having five-star hotels just for Brahmins, Sikhs, Hindus or Christians. Even avant-garde USA would not entertain the notion of a kosher Jewish hotel or beds for Catholics who want in-room rosaries and free ecumenical wine. Sensible hotels cater for all segments.

Yet, halal status is exactly what Japan is aiming for. Having realised that its showcase ‘sakura’ – and the limping GDP too – could acquire a fuller bloom with an injection of visitor cash, the country is pulling out all the stops, from prayer mats at airports to silk hijabs in storefronts, halal menus at restaurants, and even halal whale meat. It is one way Japan hopes to get to that 20 million visitor number in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Even sunburnt Australia, better known for carting off boat people to holding camps in Papua New Guinea, is straining to rectify its bruised image with Tourism Australia offering a ‘halal travel guide’ to the country.

Bangkok’s alcohol-free Al Meroz hotel, is a self-proclaimed halal hotel with front office receptionists in immaculately chaste head scarves, a Mediterranean restaurant with the right sorts of meats, a prayer room, toiletries unsullied by animal fat, and an attractive rooftop pool that is open only to women during the morning and just men from midday on. There is no spa, but there is enough of that in a city where you cannot stretch out an arm without being hauled of into some scented den with the promise of aromatherapy and blushingly more.

And now, a vigorous and adventurous Gen Z has added impetus to this fortuitous conflation of greenbacks and green travel that offers a tantalisingly attractive and potentially profitable alternative path to heal political wounds and bridge cultural divides.

Vijay Verghese started out as a reporter for the Times of India, a national daily, in 1979. He moved to Bangkok and thence to Hong Kong in 1984 as editor and publisher of a range of news, business, travel and lifestyle publications including Business Traveller, HOLIDAY Asia, and Asian Business. He launched Dancing Wolf Media in 2002 and runs the online magazines SmartTravelAsia.com and AsianConversations.com when not dabbling in avatars, music and virtual guff.

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Patrick Mulhan (5 May, 2017) – USA

As someone in the hotel business I'd have to say that while this 'trend' - if one can call it that - is interesting, it is extremely difficult for hotels to cater for just a single market. Properties have tried with little or no success for example to cater for women, or the Japanese etc. Ultimately you have to sell rooms to anyone who is willing to pay - provided they show due decorum.

M Shafi (5 May, 2017) – Dubai

A good article. The power of this travel segment is clear. But it is simplistic to assume that every Muslim traveller wants the same thing. Muslims from different countries have varying aspirations and lifestyles. It will be interesting to see how this trend develops.

usha rai (5 May, 2017) – India

What a good piece Vijay. Enjoyed it. I hope some business paper picks it up.