Tourism in the Middle East is a market currently waking up. Abdulla Almulla estimates for Global Travel Industry News that Islamic hotel products will soon make up 10% of the world market. Almulla heads the Almulla Hospitality Sharia hotel chain, which intends to build 150 new Sharia hotels in the next five years, forty of which are planned in Europe.
The new hotels will not serve alcohol or pork products, and will have separate swimming pools, as well as prayer areas.
Mohmood Al Koffi, of the REEF investment firm in Dubai, says that just like there are people who don't like hte smell of tobocco, there are those who don't like the smell of alcohol. "Most hotels in the Middle East show the direction to Mecca, and European hotels are begining to do the same. When the Mariott hotels can have bibles in the room, Muslim hotels also have a Koran." He thinks the sharia hotel market has a future, also in Europe.
Steward Jack of the British investment consulting company Jasper Capital is chief consultant for the Almulla Hospitality Sharia hotel chain.
He explains that the new hotels will be built on Sharia principles. For example, beds and toilets won't face Mecca. The art on the walls won't show human bodies. He sees these hotels as addressing travelers who want peace and quiet, without drunks and evening entertainment.
He also says that the hijab debate doesn't concern them, since they think it's mostly in the European schools, and does not prevent Muslims to travel there.
He says that they're especially looking at cities like Paris and London because most Muslim tourists come there. Regarding Scandinavia he says that they're keeping watch on those countries and as soon as they think there will be market for it, they will also establish themselves there.
Danish interest organization for the hotel and restaurant field, Horesta, have not been approached by anybody wanting to build a sharia-hotel in Denmark.
However, should there be such interest, Allan Agerholm, board-member, says that they'll be welcome. He would just suggest to them not to call it a Sharia hotel since that would give the wrong association.
Source: Information (Danish), Zawya (English)
The new hotels will not serve alcohol or pork products, and will have separate swimming pools, as well as prayer areas.
Mohmood Al Koffi, of the REEF investment firm in Dubai, says that just like there are people who don't like hte smell of tobocco, there are those who don't like the smell of alcohol. "Most hotels in the Middle East show the direction to Mecca, and European hotels are begining to do the same. When the Mariott hotels can have bibles in the room, Muslim hotels also have a Koran." He thinks the sharia hotel market has a future, also in Europe.
Steward Jack of the British investment consulting company Jasper Capital is chief consultant for the Almulla Hospitality Sharia hotel chain.
He explains that the new hotels will be built on Sharia principles. For example, beds and toilets won't face Mecca. The art on the walls won't show human bodies. He sees these hotels as addressing travelers who want peace and quiet, without drunks and evening entertainment.
He also says that the hijab debate doesn't concern them, since they think it's mostly in the European schools, and does not prevent Muslims to travel there.
He says that they're especially looking at cities like Paris and London because most Muslim tourists come there. Regarding Scandinavia he says that they're keeping watch on those countries and as soon as they think there will be market for it, they will also establish themselves there.
Danish interest organization for the hotel and restaurant field, Horesta, have not been approached by anybody wanting to build a sharia-hotel in Denmark.
However, should there be such interest, Allan Agerholm, board-member, says that they'll be welcome. He would just suggest to them not to call it a Sharia hotel since that would give the wrong association.
Source: Information (Danish), Zawya (English)
