The New developments and challenges at Islamic Tourism

Some people say that a magazine about tourism has to be a commercial product. It has to promote certain destinations for commercial interest and be purely a trade magazine. I say: no, this does not have to be the case. There is room for cultural content as well as promoting business. There is a tight rope walk between commerce and culture. A magazine without cultural contribution is just a brochure, something to be looked at and discarded as soon as it has served its purpose. I do not think this is the type of magazine that we want to produce. I will work to maintain this line what ever it takes.

We have actually benefited from combining business interest with cultural intentions. Our experience this year at the World Travel Market (WTM) bears witness to the stature of this magazine. We have visited most stands and our work has been appreciated. Whereas last year we had to introduce ourselves, this year we were met by people who already knew us well and wanted to do business with us. There were fruitful discussions and encouraging results.

With the present issue we inaugurate a new year in the life of Islamic Tourism; a year that will see the magazine published bi-monthly instead of quarterly. We feel more confident about the magazine and we have a clear vision of the way ahead. We have moved from the challenge of issuing the magazine to the challenge of constructing and running the website which publishes English and Arabic news bulletins updated weekly. The website is available for advertising and can be browsed free of charge.

We are really proud of being a unique magazine that fills a gap in the market. We are also proud of being an independent magazine; the publication is the sole property of the proprietor and his team. Our resources are limited but the richness of ideas keeps us going. People who are interested in the ideas that the Islamic Tourism promotes can support the magazine with their adverts either in the publication or on the website. Support can also take the form of views, articles and new ideas. We look forward to hearing from you - please keep in touch via the website or by phone or mail. Together we can grow from strength to strength.

Dr. Abdul-Rahim Hassan
Editor-in-Chief