Tehran, 3 March 2007 (CHN Foreign Desk) -- In an interview with CHN during the International Conference on Tourism of Islamic Countries, Editor of the Islamic Tourism Magazine, Abdul Sahib Shakiry, said that certain Islamic regulations in Islamic countries should not limit the development of tourism as Islamic tourism has always tried to highlight the moral principals of tourism by promoting cultural understanding and tolerance between people with different religious beliefs and cultural practices.

 

What follows is the full text of our interview with Mr. Shakiry:

 

 

 

- Holding a conference under the title of Islamic Tourism will help a lot in protecting the local culture in countries with increasing numbers of tourists. Most tourists are aware of the importance of protecting the environment, respecting local cultures and religious beliefs, conserving natural resources and minimizing pollution. I must also add that we are looking for clean and safe tourism which does not involve any kind of behavior that could affect the image of tourism in general. Our website and magazine (the number of issues stand now at 28) that were published and distributed worldwide gave new perspectives and opened new doors for tourism. They have promoted tourism that meet with human beliefs and morality throughout the world. These principles have been adopted by many international bodies such as the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and major international exhibitions and conferences.

 

 

- Attending exhibitions, highlighting the cultural aspects of tourism and encouraging the investment in tourism programs are primary measures which can draw in tourists from all over the world. Firstly, however, tourism should be promoted at home so that the people can become aware of how to deal with an influx of tourists to their best economic and cultural advantage. They will then be able to take tourism on board as part of their life and ensure that it does not disturb the local way of life and culture.

 

 

- The conference itself does not pave the ground in introducing the tourism potentials of Islamic countries to the world but it prepares the ground for the people in charge and those active in the tourism industry to develop this industry. It puts the spotlight on the rich cultural heritage and assets of tourism and makes people active in the tourism industry aware of the new opportunities opening up to them.

 

 

- To boost their tourism industries, Islamic countries should undertake a progamme of unlimited development. Many countries offer good examples in developing infrastructures for tourism. The planning should, however, pay attention to other countries’ experiences and study their approach to ensure that investment is not wasted. Professional organizations and companies within the relevant field should be recruited to assist in effective development.

 

 

- These factors should not limit the development of tourism. The people visiting should respect the way of life in that country because anyone should have the right to choose how they live in their own country. We are specifically promoting the whole experience of understanding the different ways of life and therefore it is inherent that the international culture should not be disrupted but respected. It takes on board the fact that you should adopt to that way of life for the duration of your stay. Principles and traditions should be promoted from the beginning by travel agencies and visa authorities, for examples using statements such as “You are most welcome, but not with alcohol please.”

 

From the outset, Islamic Tourism has been putting the spotlight on the new dimension of tourism, in addition to the traditional one, by adopting the moral principals of tourism and not the approach of unlimited freedom, which has a negative effect on the whole image of tourism worldwide. There are a number of international agencies such as UNWTO which promote the same ethics. If anybody is interested to find out more on my view about Islamic Tourism, I suggest reading my newly published book “Tourism Prospects” published by TCPH Ltd.

 

 

Ladan M. Sadeghioon

foreigndesk@chn.ir