Reflective Journal - Nur Farihah Binti Ab Hamid (17DUP19F1031)

Nur Farihah Binti Ab Hamid

17DUP19F1031

5.4 Discuss issue related to sustainable development in tourism and hospitality industry.

This article about Islamic Tourism: The Impacts to Malaysia’s Tourism Industry. The tourism industry is well known with the visitation of tourists from one place to another. Travel and tourism relate to the activities whereby travelers having a trip outside their usual environment with the duration of less than one year (WTTC, 2012). There are types of tourism's which are, mass tourism, sports tourism, heritage tourism, island tourism, adventure tourism and agriculture tourism. However, a new tourism product that's based on religious or spiritual attribute has emerge such as Islamic tourism through events, volunteering and community based initiatives. This requires understanding that leads into need of in-depth study on how it was perceived in terms of demand and supply.

The positive impact of the tourism is an activity which promises a profitable chain of economic opportunities (Othman, Mohamed & Aziz, 2012). There are increasing number of travel agencies starting to develop Muslim packages in Malaysia and even outside Malaysia. This will help to generate more income to Malaysia especially through tourist from the Middle East who well known with high spending power. Islamic tourism product can be as the medium to attract more tourists and becoming a powerful weapon to meet the attraction of visitors religious fulfillment (Bhuiyan et al., 2011) which will help to contribute to the development of the local economy and poverty reduction (UNEP, 2011). Islamic tourism provides a lot of job opportunities for local people especially for those who are emphasizing the Islamic lifestyle. For example in hospitality, this industry usually hardly hiring workers who are wearing hijab especially in the hotel industry.

The negative impact Islamic tourism in Malaysia is it will make other people who’s not a Muslim people will judge on how Muslim people doing on travel. For example, they will disturb Muslim people when they go travelling. Islamic tourism in Malaysia will also face trouble if the other country will not make any business with Muslim country. Otherwise, other non-Islamic countries will declare war if they are dissatisfied with the business that they received when they are doing business relationship with Islamic countries.

When people their countries come to visit our country and if there is something that are unexpected problem happen. The ministry of tourism in their country will blame the country for the Islamic country suffer a lot of loss in their financial.

Islamic tourism is a new trend of tourism product which seen as a new contributor to Malaysia economic especially in the tourism industry. The emergence of Islamic tourism around the world has triggered Malaysia to develop more strategies and plans to provide sufficient products and facilities to Muslim tourists. Malaysia has large opportunities to develop Islamic tourism due to Islam is the official religion of the country and taking advantage to the stability of politics and economics. Furthermore, Islamic tourism can be considered as sustainable tourism because it contributes positive impacts to environmental, preserving and conserving the socio-culture value while generating income to local people, whereby mostly local people serve the tourists with Islamic value considerations.