Muslim Friendly Tourism:
Developing and Marketing MFT Products and Services
In the OIC Member Countries
94
businesses appeal to the national government for support. It is expected that the cluster will
be launched by summer (2016).238
The city council of Cordoba, in partnership with Instituto Halal has launched a program to
become a ‘Halal city’. A Halal city is an ecosystem that allows Muslims to go about all aspects
of their lives within an Islamic context. Although they are working towards this, it has a long
way to being completed.239
The City Council of Granada supported the organization of the 1st Halal International Tourism
Conference in 2014 in Granada, but this did not have many repercussions on their tourism
goals and other than that it has had little involvement with the sector.240
Other than the Halal cluster that Instituto Halal and the Cordoba council are developing,
everything else are private initiatives driven by SME’s. When the cluster is launched this can
change with a development of initiatives and institutions that can be a mix of private and
public enterprises. The development, distribution and marketing will be done by the private
businesses that created the products.
The development and marketing of every product related to MFT that happens in Spain
happens because the SME’s push for it. 241
4. MFT products and services
 Muslim-friendly Travel Agencies
One of the advantages for the Muslim traveler to travel with a Halal or Muslim tour operator
is that they have knowledge of how to cater for their needs. 242
Nur and Duha is the only Halal certified tour operator. It is also accredited by CrescentRating
and this works as a greatly valued guarantee when working with foreign Muslim countries243.
There are also several others, such as Andalucian Routes, Visit Al Andalus or Ibn Battuta
tours, whose owners are Muslims that know the needs of the Muslim traveler and how to
cater for them in the best way.
Tourespaña is the national agency in charge of promoting Spain as a Tourism destination.
They have collaborated with Nur and Duha Halal with workshops and organized actions in
Muslim majority markets (specifically in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore).244
 Muslim-friendly Hotels
Probably the most striking success story is that of the Alana hotel. The Alana hotel is in
Marbella and was bought by the Saudi group Fawaz Al Hokair in 2013, and since then has
become the only Halal certified hotel, in Spain 245. After being certified the demand
238 Mariam Isabel Romero, Interview, Cordoba, 2016
239 Ibid
240 Tariq Mahmood, Interview, Granada, 2016
241 Mariam Isabel Romero, Interview, Cordoba, 2016
242 Bashir Castiñeira, Interview, Granada, 2016
243 Flora Sáez, Interview, Madrid, 2016
244 Ibid.
245 Angeles Vargas. "Alana Hotel Marbella, Primer Hotel Certificado Halal De España." Hosteltur. 13
Mar. 2015. Web. 09 Apr. 2016.