Muslim Friendly Tourism:
Developing and Marketing MFT Products and Services
In the OIC Member Countries
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5 Gap Analysis and Opportunity Insights
In this section MFT government policies, products and services, as well as MFT marketing are
compared with global benchmarks as well as with MFT best practices, to determine the gaps and
opportunity areas. The vast variation in terms of MFT development across OIC countries implies
the existence of different gaps and opportunities.
However, before providing the gaps analysis, below is a product and services matrix that
summarizes the MFT ‘common practice’ product features in addition to the MFT ‘advanced
features’ that were previously discussed in the case studies as well as in section ‘5. Products and
Services in OIC Member Countries’.
Table 12: Summary of Product and Services Features Across the Value Chain
Sector MFT Common Practice MFT Advanced Features
Food and Beverage Halal certified food global brand
franchises (KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s,
etc)
Government mandates that all
restaurants must be certified Halal
(as in the UAE)
Provide prayer room on premises.
Accommodation Offering Halal certified food Hotel is Halal certified (Halal Europe
in Sarajevo)
Prayer rug and qibla direction in
rooms.
Staff wears modest clothes (De
Palma Group of Hotels in Malaysia)
Dedicated hours for ladies at the pool
and gym.
Conduct congregational Friday
prayers (Sofyan Hotels in Indonesia)
Bidet or handheld sprayer in
bathrooms.
Separate swimming pool, spa, gym
facilities for ladies
Separate ladies beach (Adenya
Resort)
Family-friendly entertainment
No adult channels in rooms
Transportation Halal meals on airplanes (Etihad,
Emirates, and Qatar airlines)
Prohibit alcohol on flights (Kuwait
Airways, Air Arabia, Saudi Arabian
Airlines)
Air pre-recorded Muslim
supplications during takeoff.
Designated prayer area on board
planes (Saudi Arabian and Etihad
airlines)
Halal food and prayer areas in
airports.
Halal food and segregated spa
facilities.
Prayer areas and ablution facilities at
rest areas in highways.
Activities Attractions and entertainment
venues offer Halal food, prayer areas
and washing areas (e.g. Ferrari
World and Wild Wadi Waterpark in
UAE, and Genting Highlands in
Malaysia
Special days or timings dedicated to
women to enjoy entertainment
facilities (e.g. Al Shallal Theme Park
in Jeddah)
Halal spas for women that use
products free of pork derivatives and
offer headscarf styling services.
Tours being offered online through
platforms such as Tripfez.
Mosque trials as offered in Malaysia.