KANGAR: Tourism premises including hotels in this country are encouraged to get the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) certificate in an effort to give confidence to local and foreign Muslim tourists.
Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) director-general Nizran Noordin the MFAR recognition issued by the centre is a standard guideline that can help promote Muslim-friendly tourism facilities and boost the Islamic tourism sector in the country.
“Industry (tourism) operators can follow a uniform standard, we need to spread awareness of the existence of these MFAR guidelines, (for example) hotels have the direction of the Qibla, prayer mats, the Quran in their rooms as well as at least one JAKIM certified restaurant.
“Homestays and spas can also apply for this MFAR recognition,” he told reporters here last night.
Nizran said that so far only 52 hotels out of 4,800 hotels in the country have managed to obtain the MFAR.
“The number is still small, and one of the factors may be that the hotels are not familiar with this MFAR,” he said, adding that the centre is aiming for 200 hotels to have MFAR recognition certificates this year.
For the record, MFAR recognition has three categories namely Silver, Gold and Platinum. – BERNAMA
