Is Islamic Tourism a viable option for Tunisian Tourism? Insights from Djerba

CARBONI, MICHELE;PERELLI, CARLO;SISTU, GIOVANNI

2014-01-01

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Abstract

Interest in Muslim-oriented tourism is growing worldwide, which leads to the need to deepen and expand current scholarship on the long-neglected relationship between Islam and tourism. Tunisia was one of the first Muslim countries to promote tourism, developing its capacity to accommodate primarily Western tourists. Taking into account the political debate and institutional actions following the Jasmine Revolution, this research investigates the opinions of a group of 14 key informants in Djerba – one of the leading Tunisian destinations – regarding the possibility of developing a tourism industry closer to Muslim customers' wishes and more in line with Islamic beliefs. This study shows that the idea has not been rejected altogether but rather is of growing interest, especially among tourism industry operators. Yet, whilst the potential of Muslim-oriented tourism is recognised, developing it is not currently considered a priority.