Meeting cultural demands - Non-alcohol hotels grow in Dubai
As Dubai’s popularity among tourists and business people increases, there is a growing demand for Islamic, or Sharia-compliant, hotels that apply a no-alcohol policy and tailor their services to suit Muslim culture.
Some hotel chains follow a detailed set of Islamic rules for operating hotels, while others just adhere to Islam’s ban on alcohol owing to local regulations or investor preference.
The first major dry hotel in Dubai was the Taj Palace Hotel, which is managed by leading Indian hotel chain Taj and opened nearly a decade ago. Since then, many local chains have emerged with exclusively Islamic-branded hotels.
Among the top names are Shaza Hotels, Tamani Hotels and Resorts, Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH), Flora Hotels, and Al Mmulla Hospitality. Shaza, Tamani and Al Mulla are planning dozens of Sharia-compliant hotels.
Several reasons underlie this trend. One reason, according to Michael Noblet, managing director of HMH, is that they are becoming fashionable: “There is a trend for Islamic hotels at the moment. At the end of the day, customers are more attracted to a product that matches their needs.”
The Muslim traveler market currently represents 10 percent of the world tourism market, according to industry experts.
Even beyond Muslim guests, the hotels are enjoying a wider clientele, which includes business-oriented visitors to Dubai. “A lot of foreign bankers who opt for Islamic financing also choose Islamic hotels, as part of similar philosophy,” says Al Rostamani.
However, Omar Kaddouri, area vice-president, Dubai and Northern Emirates, Rotana Hotels, believes Islamic hotels are more for visitors from the region. He says Islamic brands will become more prominent in countries like Saudi Arabia as well as other Gulf countries.
Countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan or India are potential markets for the future, according to Kaddouri.
Source: gulf-news.com
Tags: Corporate Travel
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