Halal tours: Largest Mideast travel agency introduces customised packages for Muslim holidaymakers

Ahead of the opening of the World Halal Travel Summit & Exhibition in Abu Dhabi today, dnata, the largest travel agency in the Middle East, announced new customised tour packages catering to the needs of Muslim customers. 

In a statement, dnata said the customised programme, called 'Holidays Tailored for You', will include Muslim-friendly hotel accommodation, many of which serve halal food, have prayer rooms on site, provide prayer mats, qurans and qibla indicators in every room, come with alcohol-free minibars, and offer Ramadan-focused catering options. 

dnata Travel Middle East & India Senior Vice President Abdulla Tawakul said, "Halal tourism is one of the fastest growing segments in the global travel industry representing $230 billion in annual spending by 2020. As the largest travel agency in the Middle East, dnata travel is equipped with the knowledge and resources needed to book holidays that better allow customers to practise their faith."

dnata anticipates a large portion of bookings for the new packages to come from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council countries but also expects to attract customers in Western Europe, including the United Kingdom and Spain. 

Halal-seeking Muslim tourists are an "important segment of travellers", according to dnata, and the packages are designed to serve their biggest unmet needs on holidays.