A Framework to Compare Historical and Modern Islamic Spiritual Tourism: Study of Algerian and Malaysian Tourism

Abstract

This conceptual paper builds on the argument that market for Islamic tourism is growing and it needs to be studied from various perspectives. One such perspective pinpoints historical and modern aspects of Islamic spiritual tourism that will further enhance its marketability. This study analyses the two different angles of Islamic tourism: historical in Algeria and modern in Malaysia. Due to the availability of resources and a multi-faith based social infrastructure, countries such as Algeria and Malaysia can capitalize on the emerging market of Islamic tourism. The purpose of this research is to identify the people, places and events associated with Islamic tourism in these two countries. Findings suggest that Muslim and non-Muslim spiritual tourists could be marketed Islamic tourism by employing both historical and modern resources if a standard format is adopted. Hence, a framework is presented for comparing historical and modern aspects of Islamic tourism with respect to tourism places, people and events. This unique research emphasizes on positioning Islamic tourism products based on historical and modern dimensions, hence filling a critical gap in marketing tourism in general and spiritual tourism specifically. A relevant empirical study of travelers interested in historical and modern Islamic tourism is a palpable future study.

Keywords: Islamic tourism, Algeria, Malaysia, historical and modern.