What’s in a name? Is halal travel by any other label also Shariah-compliant, Muslim-friendly?
Photo: Arab tourists enjoy some snow on top of Kitzsteinhorn mountain near Zell am See, Austria, August 30, 2016. Picture taken August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
Nomenclature and branding mutate based on the geo-demographics of the halal travel industry’s source markets
The next time you travel, it’s likely you will choose a destination, hotel and agency based on one of the following appellations: ‘halal’, ‘Muslim-friendly’, ‘family-friendly’ or ‘Shariah-compliant’. But are these not all the same?
Travel industry experts say the labelling of the travel product is increasingly dependent on the market to which it caters. It is not unusual for brands to vary their message depending on their target audience. Once the basic boxes for halal-friendliness – availability of food, availability of prayer facilities, segregated pools – have been checked, destinations build on other aspects to attract the right tourist.
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Shalini Seth, Media ME