The inaugural ATM Global Halal Tourism Summit brings together some of the world’s leading Muslim Travel experts to discuss the nuances of this fast-growing sector, which was worth $145 billion in 2015, around 10% of total international tourism, according to Thomson Reuters. Its value is tipped to hit the $233 billion mark, some 13% of total global travel expenditure by 2020.
The UAE is one of the world’s prominent Halal Tourism industry stakeholders, a pioneer in developing Muslim-friendly tourism infrastructure that attracts an increasing number of domestic, intra-regional and international visitors, as well as a key source market for other Halal-friendly destinations around the world. It is therefore fitting that Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East’s leading travel industry event, provides a platform to discuss this the Muslim travel sector’s vast potential.
12.20-13.15: Halal Tourism – The Big Picture
The findings of the Global Economic Impact of Muslim Tourism report by Salam Standard will be presented by one of Asia’s leading travel industry entrepreneurs, Faeez Fadhlillah and discussed by some of the world’s top Muslim travel experts. Fadhlillah, the Co-Founder, and CEO of two online businesses dedicated to the fast-growing ‘Halal Travel’ sector, Salam Standard and Tripfez, will present statistics revealing how the Middle East benefits from Muslim travel in terms of GDP contribution and jobs and is also one of the world’s biggest-spending outbound Halal Travel markets. Key global findings that show the Muslim travel sector’s inbound and outbound potential will be revealed and discussed by leading Halal Travel authorities. This session also looks at the next steps the region’s industry should take to leverage the report’s findings.
13.15-13.55: Halal destination strategies revealed
Some of the world’s leading Halal-friendly destinations discuss their success strategies for developing Muslim-focused tourism offerings, from Halal certification, services and amenities, to online tools, apps and promotional efforts designed to raise awareness of their Halal credentials. Tourism chiefs discuss what’s worked and why and what further enhancements they can make to their Muslim-friendly offering. Panelists will also reveal top Muslim tourism source markets and how they are tapping into them.
13.55-14.40: How to sell Halal Travel
This session discusses how the region’s travel industry can leverage the inbound and outbound Halal travel boom. How should Halal Travel be sold, packaged and promoted and what trends are travel professionals noticing in terms of booking trends (couples, families, honeymooners, groups), destinations, hotels and experiences that Muslim travelers are demanding? The panel will discuss the nuances between different Halal Travel source markets in terms of traveler behavior, and also discuss opportunities in the high-end Halal Travel sector. Our experts will also identify ways to develop the Halal tourism industry through collaboration and education.
About ATM
Arabian Travel Market (ATM), is the leading global event for the Middle East inbound and outbound travel industry. The event, now in its 24th year, generates more than $2.5 billion of travel industry deals.
The annual business-to-business (B2B) exhibition showcases over 2,800 products and destinations from around the world to over 26,000 buyers and travel trade visitors across four days at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC).
More than 40,000 travel professionals, government ministers and international press, visit ATM every April to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at Arabian Travel Market.
source: Arabian Travel Market
