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Arabian Travel Market 2010 Relaxation Zone Soothes Mind, Body & Soul

New Products Set to Capitalise on Huge Growth Market for Shari’ah-Compliant Travel

Dubai, UAE. 6th May 2010: One of the world’s first companies to fully-focus on promoting Halal-friendly travel and tourism services made its Middle East debut at Arabian Travel Market 2010 this week, as it looks to capitalise on the burgeoning Islamic travel sector.

Crescentrating- a Singapore-based company that caters towards specific needs of a rapidly growing market segment of Halal-conscious travellers, which are estimated to represent more than 10% of the total global travel market share - has introduced its Shari’ah-compliant products and services to the Arab world during the four-day event, running until 7th May in Dubai.

With more than 1.6 billion Muslims globally, religious tourism to Saudi Arabia alone generating US$7 billion annually, a figure which is expected to grow at 20 percent over the next decade, and an increasingly affluent Arab population under 21-years-of-age, Halal-friendly travel is being widely tipped as one of the industry’s fastest growing market segments.

“We are seeing massive growth within this market segment and it was something we needed to be part of. To cater for demand, we have developed our very own rating system and website for travel based on a set of Halal-friendly criteria,” said Fazal Bahardeen, CEO and Member of the Board, Crescentrating.

“Having only introduced our product in October 2009, our participation at Arabian Travel Market 2010 marks the very first time such services are being made known to the Middle East, and we are very delighted with the extremely strong feedback we have received.

“With a rating of 1 to 7, 1 being the lowest and 7 being the highest, our criteria for rating include prayer-related facilities, Kibla direction in rooms, serving of Halal food as well as those that respect the fasting month of Ramadan, washroom facilities suitable for Muslims, and non-serving of alcohol,” Fazal added.

More than 100 hotels worldwide currently avail of Crescentrating’s services, including three in the UAE, four in Qatar, one in Bahrain, as well as 6-rated hotels in Saudi Arabia and South Africa. In addition, a significant number of hotels located in China, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have also signed-up to Crescentrating’s services.

“A 6-rated hotel facility is one that serves Halal food and does not serve alcohol at all. Whilst those that have been given a 1-rating are those whose personnel are at the very least, trained to provide all the necessary information to Halal-conscious guests,” Fazal explained.

Apart from providing information for Muslim travellers about airports, prayer time and Qibla direction, Crescentrating’s website also offers its own booking facility for hotels. Very soon, according to Bahardeen, the website will likewise include ratings for restaurants, shopping malls and theme parks.

Crescentratingis one of more than 60 new-to-market exhibitors taking part in the 17th Arabian Travel Market. The show, which has seen more than 2,100 exhibitors and stand-sharers from 72 countries sign-up, continues to be the leading industry platform for the travel and tourism sector, a fact evidenced by its role in launching new companies and products to the region. 

“It is extremely positive to see exhibitors choosing Arabian Travel Market as their preferred choice when it comes to launching new products and services in the Middle East. We have made significant investment year-on-year to enhance the show’s business delivery and networking credentials, something which continues to pay dividends for exhibitors and visitors time and time again,” said Mark Walsh, Group Exhibition Director, Reed Travel Exhibitions – the company behind the Middle East premier travel and tourism event. 

Arabian Travel Market is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and under the auspices of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai.

ENDS

Media Contact:
Andrea Krenn-Account Director Action Global Communications - UAE
 +971 50 694 9810 Andrea.k@actionprgroup.com

KlaraZakis-Senior PR Executive Action Global Communications - UAE
+971 50 147 9561, klara.z@actionprgroup.com

Or visit the show online at: www.arabiantravelmarket.com/pressreleases

About Arabian Travel Market:

Arabian Travel Market 2009 boasted more than 2,100 exhibitors and stand-sharers, from 69 countries, including 70 new-to-market representatives, as well nearly 60 national tourist bodies representing six continents, including debutants from the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Romania and Nigeria, as well as first-time representation from the Ecuadorian, Slovenian and San Marino private sectors.

The four-day event also had increased space uptake from a number of destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Thailand, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius and Kenya.

Arabian Travel Market is part of the Reed Travel Exhibitions’ portfolio, which includes 15 of the world’s leading travel industry events. For more information visit
www.arabiantravelmarket.com

Reed Travel Exhibitions
Reed Travel Exhibitions organise the world's leading travel industry events for trade professionals around the globe, incorporating the travel trade, corporate, meetings and incentives sectors including The World Travel Market, Arabian Travel Market and the International Travel Luxury Market as well as niche tourism products such as golf and luxury travel. www.reedtravelexhibitions.com

Reed Exhibitions
The world's leading organiser of trade and consumer events Reed Exhibitions excels in creating high profile, highly targeted business and consumer exhibitions and events to establish and maintain business relations, and generate new business.

Every year Reed Exhibitions runs over 470 events in 37 countries, bringing together over seven million active event participants worldwide. With over 2,700 employees in 38 offices around the globe we serve 44 industries worldwide covering a wide variety of industry sectors.

Our network of offices and promoters extends to 65 countries. With more market-leading events than any other organiser, nobody delivers more business contacts than Reed Exhibitions. www.reedexpo.com

Reed Elsevier
Reed Elsevier is a world leading provider of professional information and online workflow solutions in the Science, Medical, Legal, Risk Information and Analytics, and Business sectors.
 
Based in over 200 locations worldwide, they create authoritative content delivered through market leading brands, enabling their customers to find the essential data, analysis and commentary to support their decisions.

Their content and solutions are increasingly embedded in the workflows of our customers making them more effective and Reed Elsevier a valued partner. www.reed-elsevier.com