Halal, New Zealand! An Exploratory Study into the Halal-Friendliness of Accommodation Providers in New Zealand

Abstract

The world is experiencing a rise in the number of international halal tourists, travellers who choose to abide by the guidelines of the Islamic religion with respect to appropriate behaviours whilst travelling. This study explores the halal friendliness of New Zealand’s accommodation providers in Auckland and Rotorua. A content analysis of websites coupled with a secret shopper were utilised to achieve the goals of this study. An inquiry into the curricula of New Zealand’s tertiary institutions was also employed in order to determine the status of halal food preparation training. The study found that while very few accommodation provider websites mention halal, when contacted directly through the secret shopper, providers were substantially more aware of the needs of halal tourists and many were able to provide halal friendly services. The results shed insights into the halal accommodation attributes available to Muslim travellers in New Zealand as well as a means by which halal friendly accommodation and hospitality could be improved.