Halal travel offers tourism ticket for Asian destinations

AS the US applies the pilliwinks to travellers from select Muslim countries (starting with Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Iran), holidaymakers from Islamic nations are renewing their romance with Asia, from shopping in Singapore to experiencing monsoon downpours in Penang or Mumbai.

Asian countries have been quick to respond with Muslim-friendly features such as halal restaurants and even alcohol-free halal hotels - with separate lifts for men and women, segregated swimming pool hours, prayer mats, and food prepared according to religious requirements. While all this may appear excessively prudish and unmanageable by Western standards, it has been nothing short of liberating for many Muslim travellers, especially women.

The halal craze is not some faddish rush to cosy up to a new poster-child demographic in the hope of a few crumbs. It is very serious business with serious underpinnings. Islamic travel is estimated to be worth US$220 billion by 2020, and that green carpet is rolling out faster than you could say, "Salaam aleikum" or "Take that, Mr Trump".