Muslim Friendly Tourism:
Regulating Accommodation Establishments
In the OIC Member Countries
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availability of Halal food, removal of alcohol from the mini-bar, and providing qibla (prayer)
direction in rooms. While very important to Muslim guests, these services and features have
little effect on mainstream guests and are low cost.
Training staff on awareness of MFT principles is the only element that is of medium cost and
is important to accommodate the basic needs of Muslim guests. In addition to some Halal food
being available at the hotel, guest-facing staff should be able to recommend Halal restaurants
in the area as well as provide information on local mosques, and provide a prayer rug and
prayer schedule upon request.
5.1.4 Family-Friendly and Ethical Positioning
The level of practicality in introducing MFT features varies by country. Several of the features
relating to MFT may be of higher cost and more difficult to implement; however, several MFT
features also accentuate the accommodation facility’s family-friendly and ethical positioning.
For example, the absence of a nightclub or a bar, not only accommodates the needs of Muslim
guests, but also strengthens a hotel’s family-friendly positioning, since many mainstream
families with children would consider such an environment a safer place for their family.
The table below lists MFT services and facilities that strengthen an accommodation facility’s
family-friendly and ethical positioning across the different MFT ecosystem levels. Having no
alcohol, casinos, or nightclubs, in addition to banning adult channels, obscene artwork and
placing internet filters, all accentuate an accommodation facility’s family-friendly positioning,
in addition to being ethical.