Halal tourism is amongst the fastest developing sectors in the travel industry, gradually becoming more conventional. Global travel companies are thus implementing business models to be included into this growing sector and devising marketing strategies to serve the customized needs of Muslim travellers.

The pattern of Muslim Halal travels has changed drastically over last 5-10 years. Muslim travellers nowadays are interested in exploring more because their travelling style has evolved greatly. Millennial Muslims like experimenting new destinations and tapping into the opportunities to discover the western world.

Online presence and social media also play an important role in today’s digital world, with recent surveys revealing that 55% of Muslim travellers base their destination choice on word of mouth advertising.

Finally, a strengthened communication strategy should not be overlooked to spread awareness about the Halal friendly environment and facilities implemented by a destination. Marketers need to implement effective messaging on social media platforms to target Muslim customers.

This panel discussion of industry experts was led by Gemma Greenwood, Director at Content Inc and involved Maggie Bootsman, General Manager of UAE Travel Counsellors, Miguel Nieto-Sandoval, the Tourism counsellor for the Gulf region Embassy of Spain, Omar Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Hadith of the Day and Sociable Earth and Tamara Tawil, Marketing Manager at the Geneva Tourism and Conventions Foundation.

Watch the full session here: