Spain received 2.6 million Muslim tourists in 2014

• 108 million Muslims traveled to other countries throughout 2014.
• According to forecasts, the Muslim market will account for 11% of the sector.
• In Spain there are only three establishments that have the halal certificate.
• Cordoba will host the International Halal Congress from 24 to 26 March.

2.6 million Muslim travellers visited Spain in 2014.
It is halal tourism.
Hotel rooms facing Mecca or menus without a trace of pork are some of the hallmarks of this tourism aimed at Muslims looking for services and products adapted to the precepts of the Islamic religion; a business opportunity that at the moment our country is not knowing how to take advantage of.
According to the ‘Global Muslim Travel Index’ report, Spain was visited by 2.6 million Muslim travellers in 2014 – 8% of the total – and ranks ninth in the world – not including countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – and fourth in Europe in volume of tourists from Muslim countries.
In total, 108 million Muslims travelled to other countries, with a total expenditure of 133,000 million euros – 10% of the sector’s total – and it is expected that by 2020 the figure will rise to 184,000 million, 38.3% more.
If the forecasts are met, the Muslim market would account for 11% of the sector.
The study, carried out by MasterCard and CrescentRating, places Spain ahead of Taiwan and behind the United States, Hong Kong, Belgium, France, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Thailand and Singapore.
If the OIC countries are included, Spain goes from ninth to 35th place on the list, surpassed by destination leaders such as Malaysia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Malaysia leads the ranking with a score of 83.8 out of 100, followed by Turkey (73.8), United Arab Emirates (72.1).
Algeria led the countries of origin of these travellers, with almost 220,000 visitors, followed by Turkey (215,076 tourists), Morocco (199,305) and Egypt (86,001).
It is one of the most dynamic tourism markets, according to data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
According to 2013 data, OIC countries as a whole generated €92 billion in spending on destinations visited, accounting for more than 10 per cent of global spending on international tourism, after more than doubling their combined spending since 2005.

Spain, almost everything to do

Spain is a unique destination due to its great attraction for Arab and Muslim tourists, but there is still much to do.
Muslim tourists who travel to our country do so mainly attracted by the Andalusian legacy of cities such as Seville, Cordoba and Granada, although in the cases of Madrid and Barcelona, the other cities that attract the highest number of visits, football is one of the main attractions.
Precisely, the first International Halal Congress will be held in Cordoba from 24 to 26 March.
Much remains to be done.
In fact, in all of Spain there are only three establishments that have the halal certificate: a hotel and a restaurant in Marbella and another restaurant in Cordoba near the Mosque.
In Madrid, several four- and five-star hotel chains indicate in their rooms the orientation to Mecca, provide carpets and copies of the Koran and even have prayer rooms. http://www.20minutos.es