Recent Development on Halal Tourism: Evidence From Global Muslim Travel Index

Rifai H., Lukman K.M., Quevedo J.M., Francis P., Sjafrie N.D., Triyono, Mckenzie L., Hidayat R., Nugraha A.H., Kuriandewa T.E., Suryawati S.H., Prayudha B., Suraji S., Risandi J., Hernawan U.E.

Seagrass ecosystems provide vital services but face increasing threats from human activities. Marine protected areas (MPAs) aim to mitigate these threats, but inadequate funding and management hinder effective conservation. Seagrass-associated tourism presents an opportunity to fund conservation efforts, enhance MPA implementation, and improve local livelihoods. This study explores stakeholder perceptions of seagrass benefits, tourism feasibility, and threats on Bintan Island, Indonesia, using quantitative (349 household surveys) and qualitative (focus group discussion with 15 participants) methods. Our findings show strong stakeholder support for seagrass-associated tourism, but challenges such as ongoing anthropogenic threats and governance shifts in MPA management remain to be addressed. For successful seagrass-based tourism and better conservation, ongoing engagement with local communities and stakeholders is crucial. This approach not only secures conservation funding but also fosters local ownership and stewardship. The study emphasizes understanding stakeholder perceptions to develop a sustainable tourism sector and ensure more effective, inclusive management strategies.

Viken A., Heimtun B.

Stone M.J., Sthapit E.

Goel G., Dash S.R.

This paper uses the Google Internet search volume index to capture pandemic attention and examines the effect of COVID-19 on the stock returns of the tourism industry. We find a significant negative effect of pandemic attention sentiment on tourism industry stock returns. The results are robust to the inclusion of alternative pandemic information variables and firm and business cycle controls. Results suggest that large-size firms, firms with better growth opportunities, and value stocks are more resilient to mitigate uncertainty induced by the pandemic. Investors welcome governmental economic policy interventions and thus adjust their return expectations less negatively. Finally, we find that the country's cultural dimension, government efficiency, stable financial system, and health system help to mitigate the downside risk of stock price movements induced by the pandemic.

Zhang P., Wang J., Li R.

The names of tourism types formed by scholars and practitioners reflect the connotations of various tourism types from different aspects and carry a wealth of tourism knowledge. The documents containing the names and connotations of 232 tourism types were sorted from the Springer Encyclopedia of Tourism and 16 major international academic journals. These documents were analyzed using the coding method of grounded theory. A total of 155 naming elements, 22 subcategories, and six categories were extracted. These naming elements, subcategories, and categories constitute the tourism-type ontology, which is the first tourism-type classification framework. Furthermore, the construction of tourism-type ontology enriches the existing research on overall tourism knowledge. The tourism-type ontology can also be used as a preliminary framework for organizing overall tourism knowledge and a foundation for constructing a unified tourism-type naming rule.

Pham T., Nugroho A.

International tourism is an important sector in developing countries for its ability to alleviate poverty. Impacts of COVID-19 are detrimental to all tourism destinations. This paper examines the pandemic effects on poverty of regional economies based on a multi-household CGE model using Indonesia as a case study. Results are critically important for policymakers, as the pandemic retracts achievement of poverty reduction significantly, more than a decade of effort for Bali in this case study. Adverse impacts are transferred to other non-tourism destinations through inter-regional trade flows. The paper provides empirical evidence to call for government's targeted support to combat the economic impacts of the pandemic improve poverty more effectively. • COVID-19 can have devastating effects on poverty in across regions. • Non-tourism dependent regions are also affected through inter-regional linkages. • A CGE model with multiple household groups is developed to examine poverty. • High-income groups are more adversely affected than low-income groups. • Diversification and flexibility are crucial to mitigate crisis impacts.

Slamet, Abdullah I., Laila N.Q.

This study aims to analyze and describe the responses of tourist destination stakeholders on halal tourism branding embedded by the government and promoted by many countries, including Indonesia. This research uses qualitative approach and the data are collected through in-depth interviews with key informants. Purposive sampling technique is used to determine key informants. The judgment sampling method is used to determine the validity of the data and confirm the truths of the gathered information among the informants. Interpretive thematic analysis is used to analyze the data throughout its process that consisted of data collection, reduction, interpretation, presentation, and conclusions. The study results showed that halal tourism has been interpreted and understood in different ways, and these depend on the structural position of each group. This problem is not at the conceptual level for community leaders and tour guides, instead of at the actual practical level of halal services. This is because they have understood that most tourists are Muslims with strong religious ideals. Meanwhile, the government interprets the concept of halal tourism as a promotion media dominated by economic and political interests. Therefore, it is important to note that halal tourism branding is irrelevant for all tourist destinations.

Hasri N.H., Taib M.Z., Ahmad S.S.

Food premises characterize as a space for food storage, preparation and serving with dining and cleaning areas. In Malaysia, halal food premises are in demand as larger population are Muslims. This paper aims to clarify holistic understanding of design of Malaysian food premises accordance halal concept. It comprehends discussion of pertinent issues gleaned from the literature reviews, available guidelines and governmental acts and policies. There are Food Act 1983, Malaysian Standards, Malaysian Halal Certification Procedure Manual 2011 by JAKIM and Trade Descriptions Act, 2011 . Conclusively, further explorations needed to formulate and implement best practices for Halal food premises design concept.

Dincer F.I., Dincer M.Z., Yilmaz S.

It is certainly an undeniable fact that the sectors constituting the global economy have screened a significant structural change as the degree of causality relationship between the world economy and globalization proliferates. In addition to this affirmative unfolding, all of these sectors have got through an economic growth period in real terms, while forcing themselves to change structurally. As this economic growth trend pervaded in the world geography, considerable raises were observed in the volume of consumer masses and the markets in which these sectors operate. The pervasiveness come into existence in the world geography has also caused to step up the dynamism of tourism industry. Together with the globalization and rising incomes, it is clearly uncovered that the tourism movements have not only an economic dimension but also other components such as particularly the social, cultural, religious, political, sportive, environmental, etc. dimensions. In this study, the authors will be trying to figure out whether Islamic Countries take a sufficient share from that ambitious economic growth trend and magnificent structural change process of the world tourism sector, as well as questioning how to expand the amount of this share through the leadership of Turkish tourism entrepreneurship.

Samori Z., Sabtu N.

There has been a significant growth in the hotel industry in Malaysia. Each year, a large number of tourists especially from the Middle East countries visit Malaysia. Due to this, a lot of initiatives have been taken in its attempt to attract this group of tourists. This is done by offering hotel facilities in accordance with the religious beliefs of the Muslim tourists. Due to the above trend, it is therefore important to examine the current policies and regulatory framework relating to halal or Shariah Compliant hotel in Malaysia. Apart from that, this paper will also identify the prospect and challenges of developing halal hotels in Malaysia. The study will be conducted using qualitative research in which data is collected through library research and sessions of interviews with the relevant authorities. It is hopeful that the finding of this paper can provide information to the authority bodies and to industry players as well regarding the existing policies for Shariah compliant hotel. The results of this paper will also indicate the importance for the hoteliers to have knowledge and fully prepared with the prospects and challenges that they might be facing prior to developing Shariah Compliant Hotel in Malaysia.