Halal Cuisine Could Provide a Competitive Advantage in Hotels and Resorts

Lodging and resort operations with food branded as Halal will attract many consumers of various backgrounds who contribute positively to the economy of the host country as there are so many jobs being created supporting Medical and Wellness Tourism which would include Hospitality Businesses with Hotels, Restaurants, transportation, entertainment business, Health, and Wellness businesses.

The global Halal market is expected to have an 11.24% annual growth rate from 2022 to 2027. Halal Market was valued at $ 7.2 trillion in 2020 and is expected to reach $11.2 Trillion by 2028. The Halal ecosystem includes Halal food (food and beverage that is strictly prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary law (no pork, no alcohol, no blood, and slaughtered halal animals go through two health checks as compared with a single inspection on non-halal animals).

What is Halal? Halal means lawful or permitted and the opposite of Halal is (Haram) which means unlawful or prohibited.

The concept of Halal or Haram (in Arabic) is being put forth for all humankind by the ultimate Legislator, (God Almighty). So, what is allowed and not allowed is not only related to food but extends to all aspects of life including supplements, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, prenatal care products, mouth wash, cookies, clothing, trade, tourism, banking…etc.

Thus, Halal foods are made, produced, processed with (clean equipment, not contaminated by bacteria, pork, chemicals, antibiotics, genetically modified food, and hormones, and maintained in a natural healthy way. After all, food is supposed to be used as fuel for energy, make people healthy and strong or may even use food as medicine!

The following list of items should be excluded in order to make food Halal which include but are not limited to (Alcohol, wine, gelatin, not derived from Halal sources, L-Cysteine, Lard, non-Halal Animal shortening. Rennet (All forms prohibited except halal/slaughtered animal. Carnivorous animals, birds of prey, pork or any animal contaminated by any of these products are considered Haram (Not- Halal or prohibited).

In meats and poultry cows, lamb, sheep, goat, turkey, chicken, and ducks are considered all Halal. Fish and seafood are all considered Halal. Halal food is natural and organic and to be shared with those in need as well as family, friends, and the community. The close relationship between food consumption and health status has been documented in so much research. The fact is that unhealthy food leads to many diseases which are costly and devastating both physically and financially. Conversely, eating healthy would lead to better health and wellness. That would lead to the prevention of so many diseases and keep people away from very expensive and stressful Healthcare costs coupled with financial devastation. Halal food is natural and organic and to be shared with those in need as well as family, friends, and the community. Eating is important to sustain life, health, and wellness. Thus, the food must be clean, healthy, wholesome, and free from any chemical, hormonal, or antibiotics are given to artificially increase the animal weight to make profits!

Special Halal Certification or labeling for authentication would ensure that slaughtering was done according to the Islamic Law where Halal Inspectors and preparers of meat would invoke a special prayer before slaughtering the animal (In the Name of God, God is the Greatest) as to emphasize the sanctity of even the animal life to be used as food for human consumption only with God Permission. Also, the animal must be sacrificed by a sharp knife in a single cut of the throat as to avoid pain and it will involve the trachea, esophagus, and blood vessels to allow complete drainage of blood sparing the spinal cord to ensure that meat is healthy as blood if not drained completely will serve as a medium for bacterial growth and contamination. Increasing global demand is driven by the increasing number and preference of consumers. The halal ecosystem would not only serve the growing Muslim population but, would serve non-Muslims who are attracted to Halal products, ethical halal business, and financial services globally. This trend has accelerated with the COVID pandemic, especially with the eCommerce industry has facilitated consumer access, especially to Halal-Certified food products (Shop Halal on Amazon).

Halal Tourism (Muslim Friendly Tourism) for Halal-conscious travelers would provide in addition to Halal dietary rules, Halal Hospitality with non-alcoholic beverages, separate prayer facilities for men and women, bathroom flushes for enhanced personal hygiene which is becoming very popular in the west during COVID pandemic. Most Muslims (more than 75%) travel for leisure but they do travel for other specific activities such as meetings, conferences, exhibitions, or trade shows. Most Muslims enjoy natural therapies especially when. it comes to Wellness Tourism with Spas and warm water springs. There are millions of Muslim travelers of all ages especially the youth each year. Onsite Prontocare clinics would offer a Halal competitive advantage in hotels, resorts, and spas and provide culture-sensitive training as well to ensure a positive visitor experience in these facilities. There is a global competition to provide Halal services. For example, an Orlando-based company is offering (Halal Vacation Homes) curtained pools for privacy, and prayer rugs. Boston -based Computer Tech Company developed an App to offer a travel guide to ninety cities globally with local times for the five daily payers. A London-based company developed an app for all Gourmet restaurants serving Halal food as London and Paris were among the top ten most popular Halal Holidays destinations in Malaysia, Turkey, Brunei, Maldives, Spain, and Australia!

Food branded as Halal will attract many consumers of various backgrounds who will contribute positively to the economy of the host country as there are so many jobs being created supporting Medical and Wellness Tourism which would include Hospitality Businesses with Hotels, Restaurants, transportation, entertainment business, Health, and Wellness business with its various products and services as well as Tourism shopping.

Now, the data are solid on Halal food not only serves the 1.8 billion who follow the Muslim faith but is also being prompted globally with increasing popularity for the reasons mentioned previously. Amazon is also actually promoting Halal (Shop Halal on Amazon)!

Halal Advantage is not only limited to Hotels, Resorts, and Spas, but also Cruise ships as a very healthy Cuisine option for all health-conscious customers, travelers of all ages and backgrounds especially Millennials (Generation Z) who will gravitate towards Halal Food and beverage. Consumerism will dictate that food should be Halal for the many health benefits mentioned before that will boost energy, well-being, and the immune system to build a firewall against all infections including Coronavirus.

Guest wellness is becoming a priority in the hospitality industry and thus with the Halal Advantage, this could be a great boost to the entire industry everywhere!

The consumer demands healthy food and Halal is Healthy.

Onsite Prontocare clinics would offer a Halal competitive advantage in hotels, resorts, and spas and provide culture-sensitive training as well to ensure a positive visitor experience in these facilities. For more information and available franchise opportunities (https://prontocare.co/prontocare-franchise-model

References

Fred DeMicco
Northern Arizona University

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