Top Halal Friendly Holiday Destinations for 2013
Malaysia has been rated the world’s top Muslim-friendly holiday destination according to Singapore-based Muslim travel consultancy Crescentrating.
“Top Halal Friendly Holiday Destinations for 2013” ranking has been done based on Crescentrating‘s view of it being a good holiday destination for 2013 and the level of Halal food availability, prayer facilities, Halal friendly accommodation etc. at the main tourist spots of the destination.
Malaysia tops the list for the 3rd year running. It also remains the top destination for Muslim holiday makers. It is still the best place to enjoy a Muslim holiday and at the same time be completely worry free when it comes to finding Halal food and prayer places almost everywhere.
“Malaysia is one of the few countries where you can find a prayer place in almost every location — be it a shopping mall or the airport,” Crescentrating chief executive Fazal Bahardeen told AFP.
Malaysia is followed by Egypt, UAE and Turkey, which are great holiday destinations and Muslim travellers will feel comfortable finding Halal food and other Halal friendly services and facilities. This year sees the entry of Saudi Arabia as a “Holiday” destination in Crescentrating ranking, since more and more Muslim travellers are spending their “holidays” in peforming Umrah or as a part of a trip taking them for Umrah as well as to some other destinations such as Jordan and Turkey.
Saudi Arabia is followed by Indonesia, which has huge potential in attracting the Muslim Travellers. Indonesia has recenty focussed on making it easier to locate halal restaurants and other services for Muslim visitors. Morocco, Jordan, Brunei and Qatar make up the remaining destinations in the top 10. Each of them offering a unique experience while catering to the Muslim traveller’s needs.
Top Halal Friendly Holiday Destinations for 2013 in two categories; OIC and non-OIC destinations (OIC-Organization of Islamic Cooperation)
OIC DESTINATIONS:
1. Malaysia
2. Egypt
3. United Arab Emirates
4. Turkey
5. Saudi Arabia
6. Indonesia
7. Morocco
8. Jordan
9. Brunei
10. Qatar
Non-OIC DESTINATIONS:
1. Singapore
2. Bosnia & Herzegovina
3. 3. Thailand
4. South Africa
5. India
6. United Kingdom
7. Sri Lanka
8. Australia
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong.
Singapore tops the list in the “Top 10 – Non-OIC Destinations” category this year. Accessibility of Halal food at the main tourist hotspots in Singapore are even comparable to some of the OIC destinations. Singapore is followed by Bosnia & Herzegovina, which is emerging as a popular destination for Muslim travellers. Thailand and South Africa are next on the list. Both these destinations have strong Halal certification bodies making it easier for visitors to find Halal certified food outlets while holidaying there. India, UK, Sri Lanka, Australia, Germany and Hong Kong make up the top 10 in this category. Although these destinations cater to the needs of Muslim Travellers in parts of the destination, accessibility of Halal food and prayer places are still not that straighforward in these destinations.
