Shariah standards

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Shaza chief executive Chris Hartley.

With increasing pressure on hotel groups to develop regionally-sensitive brands, talks are being held with regional and religious authorities to develop standards for Shariah-compliant properties.

There is some confusion in the industry about what a ‘Shariah-compliant', or ‘Islamic-compliant' hotel actually is.

While some issues are clearly defined - for example, in relation to the non-availability of alcohol and serving halal food - other areas are not so clear-cut, for example the manner in which properties and companies are financed and the demographics of hotel staff.

Perhaps this is why hotel companies are currently reluctant to term themselves ‘Shariah-compliant', with many instead using phrases like ‘traditional Arabic hospitality' or ‘respecting the culture and heritage of the region' to describe their product.

But with a growing population of savvy travellers from the Middle East - and other areas with large Muslim populations - increasingly seeking culturally appropriate accommodation, it is only a matter of time before agreement is reached on what a Shariah-compliant brand actually is.

Single voice

Speaking at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference in Dubai last month, ABC Namebank president Naseem Javed suggested that the success of a global Shariah-compliant hotel brand would depend on its presentation to consumers and the wider industry.

"Successful revolutions are based on very simple principles, and until and unless you put those principles out, and obtain global attention of the average consumer, you cannot lead a revolution," he said.

"Without master-branding you have nothing. This is not [just] a question of adding the word ‘Islamic' to a property, or calling a property ‘non-alcoholic'.

"You pick any industry, whether it be the internet or e-commerce or anything like that - they are all based on simplicity, clarity and master-branding.

Javed said that it was important to acknowledge that "there are powerful negative forces" that would work against the brand if it was not delivered properly.

"In order to carry the message forward it demands a very organised effort among the hoteliers to nurture and establish global standards on how to roll the subject out, so that it will not get caught in the crossfire that exists today for whatever geo-political reason," he added.

Javed said he was currently working "on a fast track basis" with authorities to establish exactly what a ‘Shariah-compliant' hotel is.

"There is a masterplan underway among a few countries on this subject, to clarify some of these issues and reach a deeper understanding," he explained.

"I am leading the team of a few very important VIPs from the region - just about all the GCC countries are involved. For now it is GCC, but later on it will very easily open up to other Muslim countries and the big players like Malaysia and so on.

"The main thrust of this leadership is to keep the Shariah compliance and the scholarly religious issues parallel to the process, but not submerged in the process, so that international clarity and branding guidelines are established, which would be only released under the proper approval of the authorities.

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