WILAYAH NEWS VOICE OF THE GLOBAL AWAKENING
Related Articles
The Moroccan sales manager Madiha Zoubiri is like many Abu Dhabi residents. She prefers not to travel during Ramadan. “My concept of a holiday is to take a break from everything related to real life,” she says. “If I was fasting, I wouldn’t be able to do all of the activities I would like to do as a tourist, like sightseeing, visiting museums, taking long walks, or going to the beach.”
The Muslim travel market was estimated to be worth US$140 billion (Dh514.21bn) last year – accounting for about 13 per cent of the global travel total – and is expected to grow to $200 billion by 2020. Travellers from the GCC accounted for 37 per cent of the global spend.
Malaysia, Turkey and the UAE are the top three halal destinations for 2014, according to a survey by travel authority Crescentrating. Taking the top spot for the past four years, Malaysia is accustomed to accommodating the needs of fasting guests during Ramadan. The presence and accessibility of halal restaurants and provision of prayer rooms at key locations have earned the country the top title. “An increasing number of destinations are now keen on tapping into this segment and adapting their services to take into account the unique faith-based needs of Muslim travellers,” says Fazal Bahardeen, the chief executive of Crescentrating. In Malaysia, this means that there are “now more and more hotel kitchens with halal certification and an increasing number of hotels are also now catering to the specific needs of Muslim travellers,” he says.
While Malaysia’s heat and humidity will be a challenge during a summer Ramadan, its location near the equator means that there are fewer daylight hours compared with more-northerly destinations, which is sure to be a bonus for fasting visitors. Among the highlights at this time of year are the nightly Ramadan bazaars, where street-food stalls sell traditional food and seasonal treats for breaking the fast.
In Turkey, the second-ranked halal destination, Ramadan and Eid events take centre stage throughout the country. Mustafa Özdemir, the cultural and information attaché for the Turkish Consulate General Cultural & Information Office, says that visitors are welcome to get involved in Ramadan activities, such as group iftars. “Many restaurants are ready with their special menu for iftar. They prepare Turkish foods, kebabs, traditional desserts such as baklava, and güllaç [a special dish served during Ramadan] made with milk, nuts and pistachio, which is often enjoyed in cafes,” Özdemir says.
In Istanbul, the main activities are centred around Sultan Ahmet Mosque, more commonly known as the Blue Mosque, where thousands of families gather with their picnic baskets each evening for iftar on the lawn.
It’s not only Islamic countries that are catering to the needs of fasting visitors. Annique Labuschagne, the manager of Gulf markets for VisitBritain, says that the UK’s diverse culture makes it an ideal place to visit during Ramadan. “[There are] endless options of halal restaurants and accommodation that are either owned or run by Muslims, all of which offer traditional iftar and suhoor meals during Ramadan, in addition to services and facilities, such as mosques in all major cities and prayer rooms in airports, universities and other public facilities,” she explains.
Source: The National