Once seen as a highly specialised niche, Halal tourism has now become a significant sector in the global tourism market, with particular growth from high net worth travellers from the Gulf Arab states.
This market sector has grown at an unprecedented rate, outpacing the overall travel growth rate by 1.9%. ÊGlobally Halal travellers are anticipated spend US$155 billion this year and these figures are expected to reach a staggering US$300 billion by 2026 according to the GMTI 2017 report.
Another research study launched by Amadeus found that, on average, a traveller from the UAE and the Middle East spends circa US$10,400 per trip outside the Gulf.Ê
By engaging with this dynamic market segment, tourism brands can benefit greatly. The untapped Halal travel market has significant potential for industry players with a wealth of business opportunities and revenue streams in the future.
In 2015, the world’s only dedicated Muslim majority travel show, the World Halal Tourism Summit was launched to address the importance of working within this significant sector, both in terms of new revenue streams for global tourism destinations but also educating participants on the specific cultural requirements of Muslim travellers
This event hosted 202 exhibitors representing 26 countries and generated over US$18.4 million worth of business on the show floor. In addition to this, a further US$73.5 million worth of business was estimated to stem from leads made at the show.
CEO of Holiday Bosnia, Kamraan Siddique commented ÒWe found the event to be an extremely useful platform to share ideas and best practice approaches towards the concepts of Halal tourism. It was also a great opportunity to network with a wide range of stakeholders from all over the world.Ó
This year’s event takes place on 25-26 November 2017 at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Centre. Expanded from 2015, the shows confirmed exhibitors include Wonderful Indonesia, Dinar Standard, HalalBooking, South Africa Ministry of Tourism, Chile’s National Tourism Service, Tripfez, Azerbeijan Tourism Authority amongst others, who are all participating to promote their destinations Halal tourism offerings to international trade buyers in this fast growing and important market sector.Ê The event also offers free to attend seminars covering a vast spectrum of invaluable information imparted to visitors from industry experts.
Andy Buchanan, CEO of Cacti Media, the official organiser of International Travel Week 2017, said, ÒUnlike any other industry event for Halal tourism, the World Halal Tourism Summit uniquely brings together the industry’s most influential participants, ensuring that the valuable time of exhibitors and visitors is maximized in terms of business returns. The event not only shapes the future of Halal tourism but also educates, demonstrates and delivers new business opportunities. ÊThis year’s event is supported by the industry’s biggest Hosted Buyer programme, the only event in the world matching Halal buyers with Halal sellers in pre-booked business meetings.Ó
Halal tourists are proven to travel with more family members, stay for a longer period and ultimately spend more than any other specialised tourism sectors. For these reasons, tourism brands across the globe are adapting their services to meet the needs of these guests and tap into this booming travel sector.
