The province of Seville exhibits its Islamic Heritage as an attraction for Halal tourism

In line with the declaration, by the European Union, 2018 as the European Year of Cultural Heritage, the Seville Deputation is committed to Cultural and Heritage Tourism as a theme of the Sevillian municipalities in FITUR.

“Our province is one of the first Andalusian destinations preferred by visitors who travel attracted by heritage and culture,” said the president of the Seville Deputation, Fernando Rodríguez Villalobos, who today presented the ‘Guide to Islamic Heritage and Halal Tourism’, in an event in which the Tourism Minister, Francisco Javier Fernández, also participated.

Villalobos recalled that one in three travelers who visit the whole of Andalusia is motivated by culture, according to the study ‘Cultural Tourism in Andalusia’, published by the Andalusian Regional Government and, referred to 2016, year in which the Andalusian culture attracted a total of 8.3 million visitors.

Rodríguez Villalobos explained that this type of tourist is distinguished by a high average expense, specifically 75 euros a day, higher than the general average spending level, which is about 10 points below. They usually spends an average of 4.6 days in the destination and his main channel of information about Andalusia is his own experience. “Here is one of our great strength, because, in terms of how they qualify the offer of Cultural Heritage of the Community, we must say that our province is the best valued along with that of Cordoba, with a 9 in a score of 10”. This is what justifies, according to Villalobos, that the Provincial Council, through Prodetur, has been developing an intense strategy to disseminate this heritage through different guides and products. “Practically, through our travel books, we have gone through all the historical stages of our territory, since antiquity.”

The Islamic Heritage and Halal Tourism, a proposal linked to the Tourism of Roots

The guide of the ‘Islamic Heritage and Halal Tourism’ is an initiative within the framework of the strategy of the Ministry of Tourism, entitled ‘Andalucía Tus Raíces’, a proposal, “to which we join”, in the words of Villalobos, and that focuses on the return to the land of the ascenders, through the heritage that these roots have left. A strategy with three main strands, tourism ‘Halal’ or Islamic tourism; Sephardic tourism and the link with Latin America. In the case of the Seville Deputation this guide happens, in this area, to the publication ‘Jewish Villas’, specifically aimed at Sephardic tourism. “An initiative that we undertook with the objective of recognizing the contribution of one of the most prosperous communities in our history and culture.”

It is estimated that of the 75 million tourists that Spain received in 2016, more than 2 million were from Muslim countries. They usually spend at least one week in the destination and their level of spending per day is rarely less than 300 euros per person. “We speak, therefore, of quality tourism.”

The guide, whose resources are geolocated, travels through unique spaces with architectural, archaeological or landscape values in which to trace the Andalusian trace through the province of Seville. Towers, castles, buildings, civil and religious, museographic collections … A vast and extensive heritage to discover and enjoy.

It also facilitates itineraries throughout the Sevillian territory that allow visitors to approach the Andalusian past; and to characters and episodes that marked this historical stage, distributed by the different tourist districts of the province of Seville, from the Sierra Morena Sevillana to the Bajo Guadalquivir and the Marshes area.

In a third chapter there is a compilation of Sevillian establishments offering halal restoration, which guarantees a special attention to gastronomy and Muslim rites.

“Ultimately, with this project, we understand, an extremely original offer is made, attractive for all types of visitors, but with a special focus on groups of Muslim origin,” said the president of the Seville Deputation.

To download the complete guide of ‘Islamic Heritage and halal tourism in the province of Seville’ of the Seville Deputation click here.

http://www.dipusevilla.es