Muslim Friendly Tourism:
Regulating Accommodation Establishments
In the OIC Member Countries
79
C. Certification Process
There are several key steps, which private entities follow in establishing the certification
process for mainstream and MFT hospitality standards. However, there are certain gaps and
opportunities for improvement for the MFT certification process. The key opportunity for
improvement is tightening up the process of obtaining certification as in some instances it is
lax compared to the steps followed in mainstream private standards, oftentimes allowing
hotels to self-audit and depend on guest reviews.
Table 22: Certification Process for Private Standards
Mainstream Standards MFT Standards Gaps & Opportunities for
Improvement in MFT
Standards
Steps  Accommodation facility
submits application to
apply for inspection
 Accommodation pays fees
 On-site interview by
inspector
 Property tour and
assessment of criteria
 Certifying body provides
assessment summary
 Property receives rating
certificate
 Property undergoes
periodic follow up
evaluations
 Hotel conducts self-
assessment based on
standard checklist
 Consumer reviews are
considered
 Inspections in some
cases
 Hotel is provided with
rating
 Following a rigorous
inspection process
Source: DinarStandard