The Haj and Umrah Exhibition which will be held in Dubai in 2005 show that hajj tourism is becoming increasingly popular. The January-February 2005 issue of Islamic Tourism describes the most sacred journey on earth and the industry that has evolved around it.
Islamic Tourism’s Iraq correspondent, Walid Abdul-Amir Alwan, describes the magnificent Ain Tamr oasis with a dense palm grove and other fruit trees. The area distinguishes itself by the immense goodness of its inhabitants, their simplicity and their indescribable generosity. It is also characterized by an abundant supply of mineral water, which made it a place for the treatment of skin diseases. It has a rich history, with various holy monuments and fortresses that stood the test of time.
The tourists were not coming to Palestine – so Palestine came to the tourists. The Arab British Chamber of Commerce hosted The Palestinian Trade Fair, held from November 30th to 5th December. The fair brought the souvenirs of Jerusalem to the heart of Europe.
Dominick Merle describes a region in central Turkey, known as Cappadocia where Mother Nature has created a vast wonderland of conical rock towers that form a bizarre skyline. Some look like huge tents, others like space rockets about to be launched and still others like Whirling Dervishes. There is also a feature on Antayla’s Islamic splendors.
The city of Aleppo is nicknamed the "blond" because of the color of the stones used in its construction. It is considered the second city in Syria because of its historic importance and the size of its population. Fady Kassatly surveys the city’s tourist attractions.
Nour-eddine Saoudi traces the history of Tangier, a point of convergence between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and between Africa and Europe. It is also a tourist city of great interest with its historic monuments, its beautiful beaches and its vast spaces of greenery that inspired numerous international artistic works.
We feature interviews with Arab and Muslim participants at the this year’s World Travel Market including. Islamic Tourism also provides an insight into the development, experiences and problems of the Islamic communities in Norway and Spain.
Karen Dabrowska, Islamic Tourism’s Assistant Editor takes a walk through old Nicosia (Lefkosa), a town with the smiling face of the renovated past.
The publisher, Mr A. S. Shakiry, discusses the concept of tourism from a Western and Islamic perspective and emphasizes the importance of religious and family-oriented tourism.
Dr. Ala Al-Hamarneh, comments on the regional renaissance in Arab hotel management chains. He also describes the new Yasmine Hammamet complex which crystallizes the vision of the future mass leisure family tourism as it is seen by the main Tunisian players in tourism, with accents on sport, spa and high-quality services.
Asian destinations are also featured in the magazine: Motaz Othman tours India and focuses on the tourist attractions of Bombay and Goa and the Festival of Ganesh. There is also an article about Brunei an ideal stop over or stand alone destination..
Mounir El Fishaway tours Algeria and provides a penetrating flash of insight into its mosques and Islamic heritage.
If the French capital is rich in monuments and in historic inheritances of exceptional artistic splendor. It also distinguishes itself from other western capitals because it welcomes numerous institutions concerned with Arab-Islamic culture and civilization. This issue of Islamic Tourism features articles on Muslims in France, Norway and Spain.
The Editorial Board |