·
Hospitality firms should offer tailored,
halal-friendly products to appeal to younger Muslim travellers, experts tell
attendees at ATM 2019
·
Halal
tourism expected to create 1.2 million jobs in the Middle East by 2020
· More than 40 per cent of Muslim travellers’ global
outbound spending comes from the UAE and Saudi Arabia
Gulf hospitality operators looking to increase
their share of the growing halal tourism market should diversify and digitise
their offerings to suit younger generations of Muslim travellers, according to
experts speaking at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019.
With the GDP impact of Muslim travel in the Middle East on course to hit USD 36
billion by 2020 – up from USD 30.5 billion in 2017, according to Salam Standard
– halal tourism represents a lucrative prospect for GCC hospitality brands. The
segment is expected to create 1.2 million regional direct and indirect jobs by
next year.
Representatives from Wego, DinarStandard, Shaza Hotels, Tripfez, Serendipity Tailormade, Mosafer C by Ummah Collaboration, holidayme, Orange County Visitors Association, Cape Town Tourism and Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) explored
ways to tap into the growing segment of Gen Z and millennial travellers at the Global Halal Tourism
Summit 2019, which took place on ATM’s Global Stage.
Mamoun Hmedan, Managing
Director – MENA and India, Wego, said: “There
are new destinations popping up out of nowhere. Developers are building
properties from scratch, with halal-friendly offerings that are designed to
appeal to younger generations of Muslim travellers.
“Wego does a lot of
work on social media and collaborates with tourism boards to educate people
about the opportunities available to them when they travel. We make sure we
always have options for our customers to look for properties near to mosques or
attractions that may be of interest to Muslim travellers.”
Approximately 41 per
cent of Muslim travellers’ global outbound spending comes from the UAE and
Saudi Arabia, according to figures released by Salam Standard. The Middle
East’s total outbound spend is projected to grow to USD 72 billion by 2020.
In addition to emerging
trends such as eco, ethical, all-female, experiential, gastro and adventure tourism,
panellists also discussed digitisation and success stories from ‘non-Muslim’
destinations such as Orange County, Cape Town and Japan.
Chris Nader, Vice President, Shaza
Hotels, said: “Gen Z and millennial travellers are setting the trends in halal
tourism. The biggest challenge for us involves the resort side of the market –
providing the privacy and facilities that Muslim guests need while delivering
the entertainment they are looking for. It can be a challenge to create that
mix.
“Whenever we create a
resort, we have to develop something that is culturally relevant to the
location. Travellers are no longer looking for ‘just a hotel’; they want to
know what we can offer in terms of experiences. So, Muslim travellers don’t necessarily
need to see halal branding but they do need to know that halal services are
available.”
Industry-wide
investment in halal tourism-related travel technology currently stands at
approximately USD 40 million, according to research conducted by DinarStandard.
Panellists agreed that this figure is likely to grow further in the future, as
younger Muslim travellers continue to drive innovation in online services.
Faeez Fadhlillah, CEO, Tripfez,
said: “If you look at the distribution of millennials globally, many of them
are living in Muslim-majority countries. In the next 10 years, the youth in this
region are going to play a significant role in driving tourism trends. That’s
why online travel agencies are so interested in meeting demand from Muslim
travellers. Companies are doing everything they can to capture this market.”
Running until
Wednesday, 1 May, ATM 2019 will see more than 2,500 exhibitors showcase their
products and services at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC). Viewed by industry
professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
tourism sector, last year’s edition of ATM welcomed 39,000 people, representing
the largest exhibition in the history of the show.
Tags: Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2019
