@Halal May/Jun 2020 | Page 18

18 Industry Talk @Halal | may-june. 2020 By Azmi ABd Aziz Technical Assoc Director, Global Haltech islamic tourism strictly follows islamic values. it is a new ethical dimension of tourism which attempts to include the aspect of ethics. Matter of choice Muslim tourists can decide on halal-concept hotels and halal food in Malaysia Choice of Hotels in Malaysia is influenced by halal food which is meeting halal standards, Food Safety and Quality standards. More religious Muslims ensure there is halal food available for them to consume during their stay. Malaysia, through the efforts of government agencies and industry, has positioned itself among the leading countries considered as Muslim-friendly destinations. Malaysia developed halal tourism as a promising niche to attract more Muslim tourists to the country. Due to the variety of islamic offerings, it emerged as the right country for tourists who care about islamic values not only as a practice in their daily lives but also as they travel. it has a rich islamic heritage as well as halal food, Muslim-friendly people and wide islamic environment, which provides Muslim tourists with good islamic experiences. islam is the official religion in Malaysia, but other faiths are allowed to be practiced. Temples, mosques and churches are often in the same area, which shows high understanding and respect among Malaysian citizens. Over 60 per cent of Malaysians are Muslims, followed by Buddhists (19 per cent), Christians (9 per cent), Hindus (6 per cent), and Confucians (6 per cent). Malaysia supports multiculturalism through celebrations such as Eid-ul Fitr (Hari Raya aidilifitri) for Muslims, Chinese New year, Christmas and Deepavali. The asean Travel and Tourism competitiveness Report (2012) listed Malaysia among the top 10 countries, where 25 million tourists visited Malaysia in 2011. according to Dogan (2010), islamic Tourism is an activity by Muslims for relaxation and entertainment in hospitality organisations to attract Muslims to a particular destination by applying islamic principles. islamic tourism strictly follows islamic values. it is a new ethical dimension of tourism which attempts to include the aspect of ethics. What attracts MusliM tourists to Malaysia? Firstly, it is the availability and easy access to a wide variety of halal food (including fast food outlets) which are certified by JaKiM, complying with Ms1500:2009 Halal Food – Production, Preparation, Handling and storage – General Guidelines. For shariacompliant Hotels in Malaysia, Ms1900:2014 – Quality Management system requirements from the islamic Perspective and Ms2619:2015 Muslim Friendly Hospitality services - Requirements are practiced. Other quality systems/standards for product/ services such as Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)/Hazard action Critical Control Point (HaCCP)/Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) /”MakananselamatTanggungjawabindustri” (MesTi) etc. are also part of halal compliance. This is considered one of the most important factors that influence Muslim tourists to choose a particular destination in Malaysia, and it directly associates with satisfaction. it is compulsory for more religious Muslims tourists which affects their level of comfort. Choice of Hotels in Malaysia is influenced by halal food which meets the halal standards, Food safety and Quality standards. More religious Muslims ensure there is halal food available for them to consume during their stay. The service quality provided by the hotels