Malaysian accommodation providers‘ understanding of Halal hospitality

This study investigates the understanding of halal hospitality among accommodation providers in Malaysia. Halal means permissible in Arabic and the concept is a cornerstone of Islam and is used to refer to what is permissible to Muslims. The concept of hospitality adopted in this study is that of describing both the material and the technical nature of the hospitality industry services as well as the relationship between host and guest. This study addresses three research questions related to Malaysian accommodation providers‘ understanding of halal hospitality and their utilization of websites to inform the provision of halal hospitality. First, what is Malaysian accommodation providers‘ understanding of the concept of halal hospitality? Second, what are the social, technical, and commercial means by which accommodation providers provide halal hospitality? Third, how do accommodation providers communicate the social, technical and commercial dimensions of halal hospitality on their websites? Using a qualitative approach, the understanding of halal hospitality was investigated through interviews with 18 accommodation providers from four accommodation categories: hotel, budget hotel, resthouse/guesthouse/homestay/hostel and chalet. The results were analysed thematically. A content analysis of the websites of accommodation providers was used to recognize the halal hospitality attributes displayed to acknowledge halal services to customers. The keywords or terms used to identify the halal hospitality attributes displayed were based on the study conducted by Razzaq, Hall and Prayag (2016) for reasons of comparison. A total of 781 websites were identified over a period of six months for this purpose with the results then subject to statistical analysis. The qualitative results indicated that many Muslim accommodation providers understand the halal hospitality concept based on Islamic laws and regulations. However, both Muslim and non-Muslim respondents have difficulties in complying with halal hospitality requirements set by the government. The website analysis indicated that the promotion of halal attributes by accommodation providers was limited. The findings of the website analysis were somewhat surprising given the avowed focus of Malaysia as promoting itself as an international halal tourism destination. The findings add to existing knowledge in several ways. The study adds value to the contemporary literature on halal hospitality from the accommodation providers‘ perspectives. The findings helps guide accommodation providers as to what to promote in the marketing of halal hospitality to halal oriented customers. Fuller utilization of websites could be the most efficient and effective way to inform the halal hospitality service worldwide. The study further emphasizes the importance of halal suppliers in supporting the operation of halal hospitality industries. Finally, this study identified the potential research areas in relation to the topic for the future