Perspectives on Islamic Tourism and Shariah Compliance in Hotel Management in Malaysia

Abstract

Tourism is one of the main generating factors to Malaysian economic growth which has contributed about RM60.6 billion in tourists receipts from 25.03 million arrivals in 2012 (Tourism Malaysia, 2013). About 55% of the arrivals were Islamic tourists mostly from Islamic countries. The purpose of this research is to describe the phenomenon and to explore factors that influenced and interrelated between Islamic tourism and shariah compliance in tourism products. Content analysis was used systematically to analyse and examining the existing data and the research outcomes will demonstrate the evidence of economic impact that resulted from Islamic tourist arrivals to Malaysia. This paper is an exploratory research on the perspectives of Islamic tourism and Shariah compliances in hotel management in Malaysia. Shariah compliant hotels within the Islamic tourism perspectives will make the implementation on the compliant easier as Malaysia is an Islamic country that will accommodate tourists to visit Malaysia ample of Islamic products towards a better understanding about Islamic tourism as destinations for tourist to this country.