Halal Tourism in India on the Rise – Kerala Leads - Mystikal Holidays-Curating personalized Indian Experiential journeys, Indian Holiday Consultant

As India opens up to new markets and new business avenues the need to cater to these clients specific to their taste also gains ground. In today’s globalized world, where inter connectivity has made traveling a part and parcel of everyday life, tourism has become an important source of revenue for many Countries. Halal tourism is a new product in the tourism industry. Thus, there is a need to develop tailored halal tourism products and services to cater to this dynamic and emerging market.

The concept of halal means being permissible in Arabic, not just in food, but also Shariah compliant in products ranging from bank dealings to cosmetics, vaccines and in this case, tourism. This means offering tour packages and destinations that are particularly designed to cater for Muslim considerations and address Muslim needs.

Halal tourism, as a form of religious tourism, is commonly associated with Middle Eastern countries, especially when it comes to Hajj and Umrah packages for pilgrims. This trend has changed now and now these niche market offers a great potential for halal tourism products and services .Halal tourism, however, is not limited to Middle East countries. Countries around the world are now waking up to the unexploited halal tourism market by ensuring Muslim travelers are provided with maximum convenience during their trip and are able to fulfill religious obligations whilst on holiday.

India has been in the loop for years now thanks to the strong bonding which is now turning out to be a big money churner thanks to the curiosity and awareness which has come into these markets. Arabs always had a fancy for India but were weary of coming in due to the lack of quality infrastructure and connectivity issues. This has changed over the years and since the past couple of years a visible detrimental growth is seen. Halal tourism is finally arrived in India.

One way to entice these Muslim tourists is by creating tour packages that comply with the Shariah rules which the Muslim families abide by. An important point to note is that Muslim tourists should not be targeted the same way as non-Muslim tourists. A major difference is to offer activities that totally eliminate gambling, drinking and all other party-related activities. Visits to mosques and other Islamic related sites could also be included in the itineraries. It is also very important to provide halal meals and to set aside time for prayers throughout the tour.

In addition to specially tailored tour packages and unique flight experience, the hospitality industry also plays an important role in promoting halal tourism. International hotels have started addressing this by accommodating Muslim tourists’ taste and spiritual needs on top of providing a 5-star quality environment of comfort and luxury. This is simply about creating the right themes, ambiances, architecture, and interior and exterior that would make them feel at ease during their stay. The hotel rooms should have a Qibla pointing signage stuck on the ceiling or in drawers, and a prayer mat to allow the Muslim travelers to perform their religious obligations.

It won’t be far when we have hotels having restaurants which serve halal food, in accordance to the teachings of Shariah law and is free of any forbidden products such as pork and alcohol. In due course separate swimming pools and spa facilities for men and women or go to the extent of employing people of different origins to provide translation services and other assistance that may be needed by the tourists from Muslim countries, especially those who are unable to communicate in English.

Tourism department can make contributions by implementing simple steps such as having prayer rooms at shopping complexes and tourist attractions will make the Muslim travelers trip a more pleasant one. A toll free number to guide and assist the Muslim tourists arriving in India will be sure shot hit. Tour companies can take the Halal Tourism experience to a different level by employing language speaking guides and drivers. Kerala has been a front runner of sorts and have been catering Kerala Tour Packages to all the Middle Eastern countries and has become a sought after destination.

Halal Tourism in Kerala and few other parts of India is already a reality. Halal Kerala Tour packages have been on the anvil for sometime now and its popularity is slowly charting numbers. Halal Tour packages for Kerala have been much in demand ever since Kerala Tourism scaled up its marketing initiatives in the Middle Eastern countries. This coupled with regular presence of strong team of entrepreneurs from Kerala in Arabian Travel Market and other trade shows has made the job easier to draw in Arab tourists into Kerala. Other popular destinations today are the Golden Triangle, Kashmir and Mumbai, it’s a matter of time when other states realize the potential of these nationalities who are not much affected from the recession; it’s time for radical shift in focus.