By Sayem Hossain.
Islamic Travel Columnist

Over 1.6 billion people belong to the Islamic faith. With the ever growing number of Muslims worldwide, “Halal traveling” has become a phenomenon that is changing the landscape of the tourism industry.  Young and old alike, are reaching into their wallets to take vacations in various regions of the world.

If you are thinking burkinis instead of bikinis, you are quite wrong. There are many shades in the Muslim population. While some follow the religious scriptures to the tee, others interpret it differently. There is a general trend of growth in acceptance of plurality within the religion itself. Muslims are packing their bags and going on trips to places people don’t generally relate to the conservative outlook associated with Islam. It is not just first and second generation Muslims in the West, but also many who are traveling from Asia and Africa.

The idea of this form of niche tourism is quite simple: It is a form of tourism that caters to the taste of Muslims. At the very minimum, it is expected that their meals are up to religious standards, including being pork and alcohol free. Others seek hotels that have praying areas or even women-only swimming pools and beach fronts.

Industry Response

Hotels and restaurants worldwide are increasingly offering related services to respond to this growing market. The numbers speak for themselves. This niche sector of the tourism industry is estimated to be worth $140 billion US – excluding religious pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia – and expected to grow to $190 billion US by the end of this decade (source: Crescent Rating). Countries like Turkey are cashing in on their home advantage. While the streets may be bustling with party goers from clubs and bars at night, there are many options available to the Muslims seeking the more religiously acceptable retreat. Some hotels offer pools that are strictly segregated.  To give some mental comfort to their guests, security ensures no cameras and electronic devices are taken pool side.

It is not just in Islamic countries that such services are being offered.  Take IslamiChina for example: a tour operator based out of Beijing that offers the “Muslim experience”, complete with stops at religiously relevant destinations, halal food and accommodations. Vacationers can seek out similar guided tours through Spain with groups such as Andalucian Routes. With the largest Muslim population in Europe, even France has a variety of hotels and restaurants that cater to this particular segment.

There is some criticism that exists for this emerging halal industry. Apart from Islamophobic tendencies that exist in small pockets, critics point out that Muslim travelers are isolating themselves from the general population of their travel destinations. But since when is having the option to travel according to your own preferences a bad thing?