Certification body Roskachestvo Halal recently launched a Muslim-friendly certification standard for hoteliers and tourism service operators to cater to a growing market segment of Muslim tourists across major Russian cities.
By Iuliia Tore
The press service of Roskachestvo recently announced the launch of its certification for hotel and tourism services under the Muslim Friendly standard in Russia.
The certification body Roskachestvo Halal says it has started certifying tourism and accommodation services according to Muslim friendly standards.
This standard was developed by the Halal Competence Centre at Roskachestvo in collaboration with muftis from various Russian regions.
The foundation for this standard is based on the certification systems of more than thirty participating countries where similar standards are already in operation.
For those who don’t know just want the Muslim Friendly standard entails, it is a set of norms and rules that hospitality enterprises adhere to. For instance, upon request, hotel rooms must be able to provide a Quran and prayer rugs. Additionally, minibars should not contain alcoholic beverages.
According to the Russian Quality System’s press service, these norms will not apply to all rooms in a hospitality establishment but to a designated list. This approach allows hotels to cater to both Muslim guests and guests of other faiths.
The need for a Muslim Friendly standard has arisen due to the increasing popularity of Russian tourist cities among visitors from Muslim countries and regions of Russia with predominantly Muslim populations. The standard is intended to make it easier for Muslims to find and choose hotels and places to stay.
In the future, Roskachestvo Halal says that a special portal will be created to help Muslims plan their travels within Russia using only certified hospitality enterprises.
Information about establishments that have been certified under the Muslim Friendly standard will be automatically uploaded to information systems and search engines of marketplaces and tourism integrators.
