Differences and similarities between Halal and Muslim-friendly tourism: A range of opportunities

Since its inception, Islam has encouraged its faithful to travel around the Earth and visit other places in the name of Allah. As a result of the lifestyle that marks this faith and its relationship with tourism, a great variety of terms have appeared such as Halal, Halal-friendly, Islamic or Muslim-friendly. They tend to be used indistinctly but it is vital to delimit each one of them, since, although similar, they do not really have the same meaning. The extent to which the basic needs or requirements of Muslim tourists are met, such as the availability of Halal food, Muslim-friendly amenities in the accommodation and the existence of places for prayer at airports, will determine the degree to which a destination can be considered or aspire to be Muslim-friendly and/or Halal. In this sense, when there is full compliance with the Islamic law, it is said to be a halal tourist destination, whereas if prohibited elements can coexist, it is referred to as a Muslim-friendly destination or tourism.