Sharia-compliant hotel plans

Landmark Hotel Management, a UAE based hotel management company, will launch 10 Sharia-compliant hotels and serviced apartments in the UAE and KSA by the end of 2010, the company announced today. Six of the 10 projects will be launched in Dubai, two in Abu Dhabi, one four-star hotel in Fujairah and one hotel in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. All the projects will operate on Islamic principles including no alcohol, serve halal food, and provide a percentage of their profits to charity.

One factor driving the growth of Sharia-compliant hotels is the increasing number of Arab and Muslim travellers and their growing purchasing power. According to the World Tourism Organisation, Gulf travellers spend US$12 billion annually on leisure travel. Leisure and business tourists from the Arab world spend 10 to 50 per cent more than the average global traveller. "The significant growth in the number of Arab and Muslim tourists and the corresponding increase in consumer spending by Arabs have boosted the demand for Sharia-compliant hotels in the Middle East region," said S M Sadique, the managing director of Landmark Hotel Group.

Mr Sadique added that Landmark Hotel Management was keen to increase the mass market appeal of Sharia-compliant hotels. "Presently, the general perception is that Sharia-compliant hotels are only meant for Muslims; which is certainly not the case. There are several non-Muslims, especially with families, who enjoy the quieter and cleaner ambience offered in Sharia-compliant hotels," he said. Landmark Hotel Management operates under the umbrella of the Khalid Abdullah Al Ghurair Group. Landmark currently owns and operates six hotels in the Middle East, three of which are Dubai-based, with more projects underway in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, India, Oman and Kuwait.

abakr@thenational.ae