Turkey targets halal tourism market скачать в хорошем качестве

Turkey targets halal tourism market

(4 May 2016) LEAD IN: Turkey is turning to halal tourism to boost its flagging travel industry. Many European visitors have been put off by security concerns, but people from Muslim countries are more willing to holiday in the Mediterranean destination. STORY-LINE: Rast Hotel sits close to Istanbul's famous Sultanahmet Square, a popular place for tourists. But this place caters for a very specific type of visitor. The hotel is geared towards Muslim tourists, a strategy that is proving successful as Westerners stay away from Turkey due to security fears. The Rast boasts a prayer room for guests who need a space for religious reflection. And is doesn't serve alcohol, another feature designed to appeal to Muslims. Manager Mustafa Yabanigul says clients from Muslim countries are "satisfied" with the hotel. "Our brand has been created in that way. And we can still attract clients from those regions without any advertisements. We think that this is an advantage compared to other hotels here," he explains. This approach is becoming a real money-spinner for Turkey's travel industry. The country has been hosting the 2nd International Halal Tourism Conference in Konya. Event co-organiser Bilal Domah says the market is currently worth 154 billion US dollars and predicts it will grow even further. "By 2020 it's going to reach around 240 billion dollars, which is now became the fastest and most travelled market in the world." The conference has attracted government ministers and officials from countries interested in Muslim travel. Turkey's Minister of Culture and Tourism Mahir Unal tells delegates that halal tourism is about "respect" for beliefs. It's no surprise that Turkey is an attractive destination for Muslim travellers. The country is home to impressive mosques and offers plenty of choice in halal restaurants. Crescent Rating, a leading market research company, says 117 million Muslim tourists took trips last year, 10 percent of the entire travel economy. Its CEO Fazal Bahardeen says Turkey is ranked as the world's third most Muslim-friendly country for tourists, behind Malaysia and the UAE. Figures show Muslims are increasingly visiting Western countries such as France, Spain, Japan and Australia. But Turkey has broad appeal for many travellers. "I've travelled to Germany and Italy many times but for the past three or four years we have focused more on Turkey, even China, because the prices are good," says Egyptian Omar Minoufi. But the country is battling security fears. Turkey's official statistics institute shows a decline of 16.5 percent in tourism profits in the first three months of this year, compared to the first three months of 2015. It has witnessed six major bombings in the past year. The Sultanahmet Square is normally visited by thousands of tourists per day, but is now heavily guarded by police officers after a deadly bomb attack in January this year killed 12 people. But Tamer Cicek, general manager of travel agency Adonis.com, says the decline in tourist numbers varies according to visitors' home countries. "In some regions, European tourist arrivals have almost totally ended. But tourists from the Middle East continue to come to Turkey, although there is a decline." The Halal Tourism Conference 2016 runs until May 5. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...