In the November/December issue of Islamic Tourism, the publisher Mr A.S. Shakiry traces the history of the magazine which will be published in German in 2006. The magazine is currently available in English/Arabic, French/Arabic and Spanish/Arabic.
According to Mr. Shakiry: “The publication of Islamic Tourism magazine has surprised everyone. It is well received by the tourist industry. The publisher is proud of it became it is his dream come true. It was first published in two languages (English and Arabic) in a high quality format. All the issues of the magazine, from the first which appeared in the autumn of 2001, until the current issue, can be read, free of charge, on the magazine’s website: www.islamictourism.com
The summer of 2004 was marked by a second surprise, namely the publication of Issue 12 of the magazine, which also had a French/Arabic edition. After the success of this initiative, we continued to expand with confidence and enthusiasm. Thus, from the start of 2005, another edition Spanish/Arabic was added. Here we are, at the beginning of the fifth year of ITM’s existence, and we are about to publish in German/Arabic, at the beginning of 2006: the magazine will soon be available in five languages.â€Â
Mr. Shakiry adds that “the important question is how and from where did the idea come to publish in English/Arabic, and then move to a cloned French/Arabic edition?
Morocco was the place, the time and the reason for the publication of the French/Arabic version. Ten issues of our English/Arabic magazine were published, and Morocco was one of the first targeted markets, where ITM was distributed in the bookshops alongside Arabic publications,which accounted for only 10% of the periodicals on sale, the remainder being in French. I estimated then, that our magazine has a place in this market and there is a need for a French/Arabic edition.†Since then, the magazine has also been issued in Spanish edition and the German edition is on its way.
The issue has extensive coverage of tourist destinations in the Middle East (Turkey, Iraq, Kurdistan, Yemen and Qatar) and Asia. (Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and China).
In the cover story Dr. Ala Al-Hamarneh describes Istanbul as the only city in the world that was a capital of two major empires: the Byzantine and the Ottoman. The simplistic idea that Istanbul is a city where “West†meets “East†does not take into account that two major Mediterranean world cultures had their centers in the city.
Dr. Kadhim Shamhoud Taher describes the Islamic influence on the work of Antonio Gaudi one of the famous representatives of the modern classical movement, and one of the most brilliant architects of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. Analysts of Gaudi’s work state that Islamic, Gothic and baroque architectures are the base of his creations. These influences are particularly manifest in three of his works: the Guell Palace, El-Cabricho and Pabellones de la Finca Guell, which Dr Taher describes in detail.
Iraq has a Minister of Tourism for the first time. Islamic Tourism’s Iraq correspondent, Walid Abdul-Amir Alwan, interviewed Hashim Al-Hashimi, Minister for Tourism and Heritage who concluded that if safety is restored, Iraq would be a centre of attraction for international tourism: the country has an unparalleled historical legacy, it is the cradle of civilisation and its holy places have a special significance for the three monotheistic religions.
A piece of land about one km² in El-Madain, south of the capital Baghdad, has three claims to fame: the historic buildings and tombs of the companions of the Prophet . It is also the site of one of the great battles fought by Moslems which resulted in a historical turning point for their religion. Walid Abdul-Amir Alwan introduces readers to the numerous tourist attractions in the area. He also reports on DBX Kurdistan, the first international trade show and conference in free Iraq, held in collaboration with the regional government in Erbil.
Those looking for natural wonders, heritage and culture will see their dreams come true in Yemen. If you have an attraction for the sea, you will discover in Yemen beautiful beaches, clean with golden sands, and more than 120 splendid islands. In addition there are vast deserts, and mountains on which houses sleep: at night they look like suspended stars in the sky. There is also, medical and religious tourism, and cities designated world heritage sites. The list of tourist attractions, described by Mohammed Assayed is long. He also talks to Yemen’s Minister of Tourism, Khalid Abdullah Al-Rowishan, the first Yemeni politician to initiate the principal project to restore the original colors of houses in old Sana’a, bringing back their charm.
Aswan is an enchanting city in the deep south of Egypt. It is an area of permanent sunshine and greenery. This bewitching city has a perfect smile, which is reflected on the waters of the eternal Nile. It tells the Nile the glories of the pharaohs and successive generations that marked the history of this country. Its High Dam is a witness to the strong will of the Egyptians and their ability to turn the impossible into reality and create a better life for themselves and for future generations. This is the city of Aswan. Moushira El-Fishawy wrote a full report about this city.
Midnight off the coast of China. Two cargo ships without lights steam into the South China Sea. Their destination: Taiwan. The cargo: More than 600,000 priceless art objects representing the cream of Chinese creativity for the past 5,000 years. The year was 1949, and the dark voyage marked the final chapter in a 16-year odyssey to preserve the vast treasure chest that had been hoarded by Chinese emperors in the Forbidden City for five dynasties. Dominick Merle describes the incredible collection which is now on rotating display at the National Palace Museum in Taipei and has become Taiwan's No 1 tourist attraction.
In Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is ideal for a stop-over. Derick McCroarty went on a tour of the Malaysian capital which included KL railway station Built in 1910 with an exterior Islamic style, the inside is an iron and steel British Victorian construction. Mr. McCroarty also visited Greenwich, a world heritage site and toured the Old Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum and the Old Royal Naval College.
Brunei, a tropical paradise with splendid natural and cultural sites is now adding golf to its numerous tourist attractions. Earlier this year the Brunei Open put the sultanate firmly on the international golfing map.
From London, Manal Amir, reports on the British Museum’s magnificent exhibition about ancient Persia: “Forgotten Empireâ€Â. It is unique as many of the displayed items are shown for the first time outside Iran. The exhibited collection was gathered from different places; some from the British Museum's own collection while some of the items on display were brought from Persia and the rest from Tehran and Paris.
Khalid Adhababi attended a course on hotel management organized by the Higher Hotel Institute, Cyprus and comments on the island’s historical legacy: a major tourist asset. Motaz Othman represented Islamic Tourism magazine at the International Hospitality Forum in Amman where participants showed great interest in our stand. The magazine was also represented at the Mediterranean Travel Fair (MTF) held in Cairo in September. The Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) invited over two hundred tourism delegates to its the World Tourism Day conference Ali Rammahi covered the event for Islamic Tourism. Motaz Othman attended the Arab World Travel & Tourism Fair in Beirut. Damascus, with its aura of the orient and historical glow hosted the Silk Road Festival 2005 last month. A warm welcome and generous hospitality was extended to paricipants who visited Palmyra with its famous ancient history, Der Al-Zoor and Aleppo.
Islamic Tourism is a magazine published in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. Its website (www.islamictourism.com) publishes weekly news bulletins in four languages. You can browse the news free of charge and read past issues of the magazine. Your comments are always welcome and will be gratefully received. |