Salam Standard recognises Muslim travel award winners

Salam Standard, the innovative online hotel reference tool dedicated to Muslim travellers, has revealed the winners of its inaugural Muslim travel awards. 

The newly-launched Salam Standard awards programme recognises hotel groups, destinations, airports and events that excel in the Muslim-friendly travel arena.

Three airports in Asia, three high-profile hotel groups, one event and one destination have been named Salam Standard award winners by a panel of carefully-selected judges with expertise in the fast-growing Muslim travel market.

The winners are:

Best Airport category: Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Malaysia; Kansai

International Airport (KIX), Japan; and Singapore’s Changi Airport (SIN).

Best Hotel Group category: Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts; Fairmont Raffles Hotels

International (FRHI); and Indonesia’s Archipelago International.

Best Destination category: Dubai.

Best Event category: The World Halal Travel Summit & Exhibition (WHTS), the inaugural edition of which took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

(ADNEC) from 19th to 21st October, 2015.

“All of our winners stand out as pioneers in the global halal travel market, offering products and services that cater to the specific faith-based needs of Muslim travellers, or in the case of WHTS, providing a platform for the growth and development of this fast-growing tourism sector,” said Salam Standard founder Faeez Fadhlillah.

“At Salam Standard we applaud these efforts as we, alongside our winners, strive to provide Muslim-friendly travel options that make them feel at home.”

Nominees for the Salam Standard awards were judged by a panel of Muslim travel experts against a number of criteria, such as the availability and range of Muslim services and facilities provided, as well as the promotion of the halal travel concept locally and internationally.

Kuala Lumpur International and Changi Airport received awards for their broad range of Muslim-friendly services and facilities, including prayer rooms and halal food options, while Kansai Airport was recognised as a “pioneer in creating Muslim facilities and services and promoting an inclusive travel experience for all”, said Fadhlillah.

The three hotel group winners stood out for offering halal-friendly facilities and services at most of their hotels around the globe, demonstrating that they “take the needs of their guests seriously and go the extra mile to ensure their wellbeing”.

Dubai was not only commended for its Muslim-friendly credentials, with halal food, prayer facilities, cultural experiences and accommodation widely available, but also for its family-focused destination offering and wide appeal to all nationalities.

Judges considered the World Halal Travel Summit & Exhibition (WHTS) a trailblazer in halal travel too, providing a global platform dedicated to the rise of Muslim travellers.

“The event is one of the biggest gatherings of travel agencies and NTOs, with the single aim to promote the concept of Muslim travel globally,” confirmed Fadhlillah.

Launched in October, Salam Standard is an online reference tool that provides information on “Muslim-friendly” amenities and services available at hotels, resorts and destinations around the globe.

More than 20,000 properties have become part of this online reference tool, with high-profile hotel groups now represented including Salam Standard award winners Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, FRHI, and Archipelago International, as well as big global and regional names like AccorHotels, Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, Rixos Hotels, Tauzia Hotel Management and Berjaya Hotels & Resorts, to name a few.