Potentials of Islamic Tourism: A Case Study of Malaysia on East Coast Economic Region

FUNDAMENTAL OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL

Potentials of Islamic Tourism: A Case Study of Malaysia on East Coast

Economic Region

NURAMIRA BINTI HUSIN (17DUP19F1026)

5.2 Discuss the significance of Muslim travellers in international and domestic tourism.

Tourism and hospitality industry is the most important industry in our country. Those both of industry give a nice expression towards our economy because with the number of tourists coming visit our country every year will increase more financial. So, because of that the government give more attention and effort towards this industry because they know those two both of industry will help the country.

As we know in tourism industry, there will be so many types of tourist that can be divided but more important we must know that tourist can be divided by four types of tourist which is international tourist, domestic tourist, long distance tourism, and short distance tourism. Even so, we know that they will be Muslim traveller in international and domestic tourism. For Muslim traveller, it is our duties to go travel around the world as it say in Al-Quran.

Tourism is traditionally closely linked to religion which has acted as a powerful motive for traveling. Religious buildings, rituals, festivals and religious events are important tourist attractions for those are the followers of the particular systems of belief represented. Islamic tourism is a new tourism destination in the world today. There are 54 Muslim countries in the world. Most of the countries situated in an important nerve point of the world. Due to the geographical and economic importance of Muslim countries, this tourism increases day by day. Islamic tourism will be famous in those countries as well as all over the world. Islamic tourism is not one type of tourism, in the case of secular tourism. Islam has encouraged tourism for the faithful in the practice of life’s affairs and to obtain experience and maturity.

For Muslim travellers, they will be significance for them to travel in international or domestic. For example, if we travel in domestic country such as Thailand, Indonesia or Malaysia it will be easy for us to find something that we can do or eat because most of the people in those countries have Muslim people. So, it will not make us burden with that kind of things. Other than that, if we travel international country it will be easy or hard for us to find something that we want like food. It will be hard for us to find ‘halal food’ in country that most of their people are Christian.

Issues They Face When They Go Travel

Muslim traveller can also face other problem when they went travelling at other people country. For example, when they want to pray and there is no mosque nearby they decide to pray beside the street but the local people which is Christian disturb them and they talk bad about them or even get angry to them just because they are pray. This will cause trouble to the Muslim traveller and they will feel burden or even sad as they were not accepting by the local people of that country.

Positive And Negative Effects

The significance for Muslim traveller is we know if the Muslim people go travel they will travel without feel any scared and they will not be afraid and happy to go travel around the world. Also, we will feel like we are being respect with other people and they will greeted us happily when we meet them on the street or everywhere. It shows that in every country, in international country or domestic country Muslim traveller are welcome to travel there anytime they want. Even so, we know they will be positive and negative effects to the Muslim people when they are travelling but we know that in this world we have one organisation that will protect Muslim people and the organisation is Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). This organisation states that it is "the collective voice of the Muslim world" and works to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony" so we know if there is anything happen to the Muslim, this organisation will take an action and do something that can protect them.

Conclusion

Lastly, in the future we can do something that can protect our Muslim people. Even it is not only the Muslim travellers, we also can be one and protect everyone when they are travel so that will not be anything that we didn’t even want to be happen. Other person must be aware the importance of significance of Muslim travellers in international and domestic tourism. It is our responsibility to take care of this kind of thing so they will not be any issues coming in the future.