Canada: investigation on passenger face control by airlines

Transport Minister John Baird has ordered an investigation into whether airlines are enforcing rules that require staff to see the faces of passengers who board their flights. He said in a statement that there are procedures in place to verify the identity of anyone who has their face covered, adding the approach is consistent with international standards, regardless of culture or religion.

Find full article here>>.

Saudi Arabia: International Conference for Urban Heritage in the Islamic Countries

The first International Conference for Urban Heritage in the Islamic Countries, which was held in Riyadh during the period from May 23-28, 2010, has concluded its events with a number of recommendations, which were focused on the importance of preservation of the urban heritage of the Islamic countries and to develop it economically and culturally.

Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities; find full text of report here>>.

France: Burqa ban to apply to tourists too

France's government announced it would apply a proposed ban on face-covering Islamic veils to visiting tourists as well as residents, even as skepticism mounted over the legality of the plan. The draft bill will be presented to the cabinet next month. France's highest court has already warned the government that a complete ban could be unlawful.

Source: eTurboNews; read article here>>.

Dubai: appeals court upheld prison sentence for tourist couple

A Dubai appeals court upheld a one-month prison sentence for a British couple convicted of kissing in a restaurant. The tourists landed in court upon complaint of an Emirati woman. Though they insisted the "kiss" was just a peck on the cheek, they were arrested in November and convicted of inappropriate behavior and illegal drinking.

Source: eTurboNews; find article here>>.

Iraq: new focus on religious tourism

Hundreds of thousands of Shia Muslims, particularly from Iran, visit the city of Najaf, which hosts the tomb of Ali bin Abi Talib, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. Though religious tourism brings millions of dollars of revenue every year, local merchants have complained that Iranian companies have monopolised the industry.

Source: eTurboNews; find article here>>.

"European Commission steps up pressure on airlines to ensure websites selling tickets fully comply with EU law"

According to the EU Press Room, "On the eve of a meeting of 27 national enforcement agencies and stakeholder groups in Brussels, Vice President Tajani, EU Transport Commissioner and EU Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva have stepped up pressure on airline companies selling tickets on the web to meet their legal obligation to fully comply with all the requirements of EU law. In a joint letter to the airline representatives, the two Commissioners have set out a 30 point checklist of consumer rights which all web pages selling air tickets must respect. Following industry feedback, the checklist will be consolidated. The Commission's letter requests that members of the airline associations amend all websites to ensure they fully comply with all the listed obligations. A user friendly version of the checklist should also be made available on websites for consumers. The letter informs the airline representatives that the Commission intends to make public the results of 'health check' of the sector- an independent study which will identify compliant and non-compliant operators - in May 2009. The work with industry is taking place in parallel with additional efforts by the Commission to increase enforcement controls at national level. Commission Kuneva addressed Ministers at the Competition Council on 1st December 2008 calling on them to concentrate all the necessary additional efforts and resources on the airline investigation to enable a final wrap up in May 2009. The letter from Vice President Tajani and Commissioner Kuneva makes it clear that if national authorities persistently fail to act on violations of the law, the Commission would need to consider infringement procedures."

This release is available in full text.

Islamic countries in Asia Pacific to form travel association

Islamic countries from the Asia Pacific region have agreed to form an Asia Pacific Islamic Travel and Tours Federation to “safeguard" the interests of Muslim tourists and travel agents.
Representatives from the four founding member countries - Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei together with ASEAN neighbor Singapore - have agreed to its formation at the recent Bumitra Islamic Tourism Forum 2008 in Kuala Lumpur.

Source: eTurboNews; find full article here.

"And now it's time for halal tourism"

As reported by Clark Kelly, at the Travel & Tourism News Middle East, "Regional tourism players will be advised at this month’s World Travel Market (WTM) to exploit a new category of tourism dubbed Halal Tourism.
According to an excerpt from the WTM Global Trends Report being unveiled at the WTM and made available in advance to TTN, there is currently little differentiation between Middle Eastern tourism products and services for Muslims and non-Muslims. This represents a huge opportunity for Halal tourism, a form of religious tourism defined as activities permissible under Islamic law." Read more>>

"Almulla Launches World’s First International Sharia Compliant Hotel Chain"

"Dubai-based hospitality group Almulla, today launched the world’s first Sharia compliant hotel brand portfolio under three core brand names of Cliftonwood, Adham and Wings. The hotel group strategic plan calls for 30 properties by the end of 2008.
'There are plenty of individual Sharia compliant hotels throughout the world. However their positioning is usually dictated by the owner, either as an independent hotel, one within a chain or due to the Sharia law of country where they are situated,' commented Abdulla M Almulla, Chairman of Almulla Hospitality. 'Our brand proposition is so distinct that guests will be confident that our brand values have universal consistency.'." Read more>>

Source: Middle East Business News.

"Air pilgrims face holy water ban"

"Pilgrims on the Vatican's new chartered airline have been told to leave holy water behind for security reasons.
Officials at Tarbes-Lourdes airport in southern France said that bottles of water from the shrine at Lourdes could present a potential terrorist threat.
The pilgrims were told they could not carry holy water in bottles bigger than the maximum allowed: 100 ml.
Security staff at the airport said they were simply following international anti-terror regulations.
Measures limiting liquids allowed in carry-on baggage came in response to claims by British police in 2006 that there was a plot to bring down US-bound flights using liquid explosives.
Francesco Pizzo, Mistral Air's president, said the company had to respect international regulations on the matter.
The airline provided a small bottle of holy water, in the shape of the Virgin Mary, for each passenger, once they had boarded the plane for the flight home from Lourdes.
Mistral Air began flights from Rome to Lourdes on Monday and plans to extend its service to other Roman Catholic shrines."

Source: BBC News.

Austria: Court of appeal decision on information about Ramadan related restrictions

Oberlandesgericht Wien (Vienna Court of Appeal) recently decided that tour organizers and travel agents have a duty to inform about Ramadan related restrictions in hotel services. Plaintiff had booked a package tour to Abu Dahbi including accommodation in the well reputed luxury hotel "Emirates Palace". At arrival plaintiff and his wife were told that due to Ramadan breakfast time is limited to 11 am. Next morning they entered the breakfast room shortly before 11 am, the plaintiff wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt. He was told that the hotel's dress code requires trousers and jacket in breakfast room but, however, as an exception allowed to stay for this time. When on the beach they ordered cigarettes and beer they were told that this was impossible due to Ramadan, kiosk, restaurant and café at the beach and the other 20 restaurants within the hotel area were closed, eating, drinking and smoking in public was prohibited and could only be done in the hotel room. As due to the booking situation it was impossible to change hotel, they broke off their vacations. The competent employee of the tour organizer knew about the Ramadan but did not tell the travel agent where the tour was booked.
Court of appeal held that the tour organizer had culpably failed to inform about Ramadan related restrictions and therefore granted repayment of full prize and compensation for loss of holiday enjoyment.

(Oberlandesgericht Wien 27.02.2007, 4 R 153/06h)

"Vatican plans flights to shrines"

"The Vatican is to launch a low-cost charter flight service to transport pilgrims to holy sites worldwide.
The inaugural flight on 27 August will go from Rome to Lourdes in France.
A small Italian airline, Mistral, will provide the planes, with the interiors decorated with sacred inscriptions such as: 'I search for your face, Lord.'
Other destinations could include Fatima in Portugal and Santiago di Compostela in Spain, the Holy Land, Poland and a Catholic shrine in Mexico.
The vicar of Rome, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, is expected to be on the first flight to Lourdes, which already attracts eight million pilgrims each year.

Big Business
Some of the cabin crew will be 'specialised in the voyages of a sacred nature' according Italy's Ansa news agency.
The BBC's David Willey in Rome says religious tourism is already big business, with some 200 million Christian pilgrims expected to visit holy places in different parts of the world this year.
When Pope Benedict XVI travels abroad he normally charters a plane from the Italian national carrier, Alitalia, or from the country he is visiting, our correspondent says.
The Vatican City has no airport, just a helipad used occasionally by the Pope."

Source: BBC NEWS.

Afghahistan: Statues of Budha Attacked

It has been reported that the Taleban have begun the demolition of two statues of the Budha, the largest rock hewn in the world. The statues date back to 2-5th centuries, when Afghanistan was an important centre of Budhism. The Taleban have condemned the statues as "idols" and an "insult to Islam". They have also begun to destroy statues in the country's museums. UNESCO chief, Koichiro Matsuura, has condemned these as acts of vandalism.

(Originally posted by John Downes)

Riots Hit Lombok Holiday Resort

Indonesian troops have been instructed to shoot rioters in a bid to halt the religious riots that have plagued the tourist island in mid-January. Gangs of Muslim youths have attacked Christians, their homes and their property and have tried to seize the ferry terminal at Mataram. Some hotels have put up Muslim prayer mats and pro-Muslim signs to attempt to ward off attackers. The Australian Government has airlifted its tourists from the island and other tourist nationals fled to neighbouring Bali. The unrest in Lombok has spresd to other islands and is causing serious damage to the Indonesian Tourism Industry.

(Originally posted by John Downes)

Train Bomb

13 people were killed and nearly 50 injured after a bomb exploded on the Pooja Express which had left Jammu, Kashmir's winter capital, bound for Delhi. the train was carrying Hindu pilgrims who had been visiting the Vaishno Devi Temple near Jammu. Indian police officials were also on board.

(Originally posted John Downes)

Holy See Prepares for 30 million visitors in 2000

The Vatican has created a new website to provide advice for the estimated 30 million pilgrims expected to visit the Holy See in 2000. The site is available in Italian, French, English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Latin and Polish. Russian, Chinese and Arabic are expected to be added. It has also issued a new "smart card", a computerised Pilgrim's Card which can be used to purchase transport, food, insurance, phone calls and other services. A microchip on the card can also contain essential information on the health of the bearer.

(Originally posted by John Downes)