Muslim-Friendly Tourism of Jeju Island Based on An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Muslim Population from the entire world is rapidly increased in the past few years and Muslimmarket is one of the most rising sectors in the tourism industry. Besides, the Muslim marketspending on travel is one of the big potencies into the global economy. Muslim lifestyle is Islam,thus Muslims always perform their religious duties and activities under Islamic teachings whichare permissible under Sharia (Islamic law) such as the most basic and mandatory necessities :performing Salat or Prayers and having Halal foods. South Korea, one of the non-Muslimmajority countries, has been seeking new global travelers. As a part of South Korea and to makea contribution in the tourism sector, Jeju Island is one of the well-known destinations in SouthKorea which captivates tourists throughout the world and diversifies markets that heavily relieson Japan and China through its remarkable and unique landscapes listed as UNESCO triplecrown. Due to Hallyu or Korean wave, Muslim tourists are extremely interested in visiting andexploring Jeju Island. In order to make Muslim tourist experience comfortable and satisfied, JejuIsland has started setting up Muslim-friendly facilities at the various tourist sites,accommodations and restaurants. Through exploratory, this study aimed to map the total journeyof current conditions in the provision of hospitality services and facilities for Muslim touristsand key themes based on religious needs of Muslim travelers regarding Muslim-friendly tourismin Jeju Island, then find the gaps and weaknesses through direct observation, in-depth interview,and secondary data. Thus the findings will be qualitatively described in and act as a guide to theMuslim-friendly tourism business and government to attract more Muslim travelers.