The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the fact that Arab tourists play an important role in the development of modern hotel business. Arabs are very active tourists with high solvency. In this regard, it seems necessary to know on what principle Arabs choose hotels and what features of the national mentality play a role in the choice of Arabs of certain places to stay.
Modern researchers of tourism business have considered such aspects of the peculiarities of Arab tourists’ choice of a hotel as the specifics of the national religion (Islam), peculiarities of the Arab worldview and the Arab linguistic picture of the world, specifics of the political views of Arabs, peculiarities of their culture and everyday life. For this purpose such research methods as sociological surveys, content analysis, psychological testing were used.
The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of Arab tourists that influence Arabs’ preferences in choosing hotels.
In connection with this objective, the following objectives were set:
-to study the statistics of Arabian tourists all over the world;
-to investigate the peculiarities of the Arab national mentality,
-study the peculiarities of the linguistic picture of the world, characteristic for Arabs,
-examine the peculiarities of the national Arab religion (Islam), which influences the life and culture of the Arabs,
-study the Arab attitude to tourism and the peculiarities of Arab behavior during tourist holidays.
The object of the study – preferences of Arabs when choosing hotels.
The subject of the study is the peculiarities of the mentality and worldview of Arabs, which have a direct impact on the preferences of Arabs when choosing hotels.
Hypothesis of the study: when Arabs choose hotels for vacation accommodation, the peculiarities of Islamic religion, which have a direct impact on the life and culture of Arabs, including: preferences in food, requirements for the appearance of others, the presence of places in the hotel to perform Islamic religious rituals, play an important role.
Research methods: testing, questionnaires, analysis of theoretical literature.
The practical significance of this study is due to the fact that the study has developed a questionnaire that can effectively assess the main preferences of Arabs when choosing certain hotels for vacation. The use of this questionnaire will help to optimize the activities of hotels and inns so that Arab guests experience positive emotions from staying in hotels and willingly stay there for recreation.
Statistics of Arab tourists all over the world
Before the pandemic, tour operators recorded a significant increase in tourist traffic to Europe from the Gulf countries, especially noticeable in 2019. Official data confirms their observations. According to statistics, the United Arab Emirates market showed the greatest increase: if in 2018 Europe received only 2,407 tourists from this country, in 2019 there were already more than 23 thousand. The rest of the indicators are smaller, and yet all countries showed growth of at least 100%. Of course, the effect of “low base” cannot be discounted here, but the global trend shows the serious potential of the Arab market for the European tourism business[1].
Statistics on the entry of Arabian tourists to the UK
| 2018 | 2019 | |
| UAE | 2407 | 23252 |
| Kuwait | 1275 | 2193 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2499 | 4219 |
| Bahrain | 721 | 1 363 |
| Qatar | 865 | 2 484 |
| Oman | 709 | 1 672 |
This is supported by the fact that Flydubai actively expanded its flight program to Europe during the pre-pandemic years. The pandemic has significantly changed the structure and geography of international tourist flows: open borders and flight availability, rather than prices, traditions and habits of tourists, or even flight distances, are now at the forefront.
For European regions, tourists from Arab countries may be interesting for several reasons. Arab tourists are the world’s record-breaking spenders in travel, which is why they are welcome guests in many European countries. For example, travelers from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman spend six times more abroad than the average international tourist. For example, the average transaction for a Qatari is $3472 per trip, for a Kuwaiti $2920, and for a UAE national $1738. In general, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in the year before the pandemic, their spending on international tourism exceeded $60 billion. And between 2010 and 2017, international spending per capita for this category of tourists increased by 60%. And spending on goods subject to Tax Free increased by 36%.
As for specific markets, at the moment experts identify three most promising ones. These are the United Arab Emirates with a long history of relations with the European travel business, which makes it possible to quickly restore volumes and achieve growth. The Qatar market is also interesting due to direct flights of Qatar Airways. But the greatest potential tour industry professionals see in Saudi Arabia, the largest country in the Persian Gulf with a population of 34 million people – for comparison, the UAE has less than 10 million people. The limited supply in the Arab tourist markets gives European regions a high chance to make themselves known and create interest not only in already known destinations[2].
First of all, there are prospects for those regions that can attract tourists with some specialties, something that they will not see anywhere else. In particular, this is eco-tourism. For Arabs, nature, mountains, forests are exotic, they are ready to travel to some distant regions for the sake of it. However, it is important to realize that Arab tourists are used to comfort. They are not as fastidious about food as travelers from India, they are quite suitable for European and American cuisine, but they need to be served at the same level, good infrastructure, branded hotels, which is often a problem in the regions. Another important point to pay attention to is the availability of English-speaking guides – unfortunately, they are still not available everywhere to meet and accompany guests.
Those regions that can add mountain skiing, fishing and hunting, health recreation and adventure tourism to the unique natural beauties can also claim to attract tourist flow from Arab countries. The Gulf countries have a large audience of extreme entertainment enthusiasts. For example, skydiving is still super popular in Dubai, when a tourist parachutes onto Palm Island. There are indeed many young wealthy and adventurous travelers there. There is certainly potential in regions with Islamic culture. According to experts, the bleasure trend, which involves the inclusion of tourist products within the framework of a business trip, is also very promising.
In the first quarter of 2021, 1 million 830 thousand foreign nationals visited Europe, of which 13,350 for the purpose of tourism, which is 95% less than the indicators of the same period in 2019. At the same time, for the first time, a Middle Eastern country entered the top 5 largest inbound tourism markets – the United Arab Emirates took the fourth place. This confirms the upward trend in tourist traffic and the opportunities opening up for the regions[3].
On the one hand, the figures are small. On the other hand, it is worth considering that, for example, individual tourists from Qatar began to actively visit Europe from March 2021. In May alone, almost 400 people arrived – the same number as in the whole of 2015. And at the end of 2021, they expect at least 3000 travelers from this country. By the way, Qatar has recently updated the rules of foreign travel, by now more than 56% of the country’s population has undergone a full course of vaccination against coronavirus, and are ready to resume travel abroad. This means that they should already be oriented to the tourist opportunities offered by Europe.
Peculiarities of the Arab national mentality
The Arabs, one of the most numerous and ever-growing populations on the globe, belong to the Caucasoid race. The people formed on the Arabian Peninsula, in a historically short period of time conquered vast territories in Western Asia and North Africa, conquered and for a long time held (at least partially) the Iberian Peninsula in Europe. The Arabs were able to assimilate the local populations of most of the territories they conquered. Today, Arabs are the undivided dominant population in the following Asian countries: Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, in the Palestinian Territories. Asian countries with Arab populations are called Mashreq (Arabic for east). Arab countries of Africa – Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Western Sahara – Maghreb (west). Arabs inhabit the territory of more than 14 million km2.
The territory of the Arab countries stretches more than 7,000 kilometers from west to east and about 3,000 kilometers from north to south. Several million Arabs live outside the Arab world – in Europe, America, Australia, and the Arab communities in Europe and America are constantly growing. This facilitates the spread of Islam in the economically developed countries of the West. Arab Muslims are exerting increasing pressure on the politics of these countries.
The last decades have become truly “the time of the Arabs”. Most of the modern Arab states, having gained national independence and escaped from direct foreign control, began to develop at an unusually high rate. At the heart of this “economic miracle” is Arab oil, the main energy raw material of the twentieth century. As the Arabs say, Allah has rewarded them for the long suffering and humiliation they endured for centuries at the hands of foreigners. The establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, the collapse of the colonial system of imperialism and the desire of foreign military-political blocs to extend their influence over the Arab world led to the revival of the aggressive spirit of Islam. Arab national consciousness was asserted in the struggle against European, American or Soviet influence in their countries. One form of this struggle was Muslim fundamentalism, which threatens not even so much the West as the very ruling (and largely pro-Western) regimes of a number of Arab countries.
Of the vast number of Europeans who have lived around Arabs, perhaps only Lawrence of Arabia came close to understanding their psychology. Most people do not understand the Arab mentality. The most interested in the twentieth century were the Jewish-Israelis. Living side by side with their “half-brothers”, Jews studied the external manifestations of Arab life, their language and culture.
Arabs moving to European countries and the United States continue to be the bearers of their culture, seeking to impose elements of it on their surroundings. The events of September 11, 2001 in the United States forced Europeans and Americans to turn their attention to the problems of Muslim fundamentalism and to engage in a deeper study of the mentality of Arabs.
Arabs use a single common Arabic literary language. However, along with it there are Arabic dialects spoken by the inhabitants of different places and countries. The Arabian, Iraqi, Syrian, and Palestinian variants of the language are distinguished; they are close to each other, but not always to the point of mutual understanding. There are significant elements of common Arab culture, manifested in the everyday life, traditions and spiritual life of Arabs[4].
But at the same time, the cultural peculiarities of individual Arab peoples are also very noticeable.
Arabs are mainly Sunni Muslims. Only a part of Arabs of Iraq, a part of Lebanese Arabs, Ismailis and Zaydis of Yemen are Shiites. The Druze and Alawites stand quite apart from other Muslim Arabs. The Druze live in the mountainous Jebel Druze region of Syria, the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, and southern Lebanon.
The Alawites inhabit the northwestern part of Syria (Latakia region) and the southern part of Hatay region in Turkey6. Christian Arabs are present in significant numbers in Egypt (Copts), Lebanon (Maronites, Greek Orthodox and other churches), Syria (Syrian and Greek Orthodox churches), Jordan (Catholics and Orthodox branches of Christianity), and the West Bank (virtually all branches of Christianity) 7. In the area of the city of Nablus there is a very interesting community of Judaic Arabs – Arabized descendants of the ancient Hebrew population of Palestine.
The population of the Arab countries can be roughly divided into three main groups:
1) nomads and semi-nomads,
2) the rural population,
3) city dwellers.
Bedouins (literally, “desert dwellers”) were engaged in the breeding of camels, sheep and goats. During their nomadic travels, they freely crossed national borders and were therefore closer to each other than the sedentary populations of the various Arab countries. In the twentieth century, due to the policy of sedentarization of nomads in most Arab countries, there was a sharp decline in the nomadic and semi-nomadic Arab population. The bulk of the population of the major Arab countries is now sedentary agriculturalists (in Arabic, “fellahs”).
The national character is outwardly manifested in an etiquette-defined ritual (or violation of it). Bedouin ethics underpinned the life of Arab society. And although the Bedouin organization has lost its former influence in most modern Arab countries, many of its moral values, which live in the people, retain their significance despite the rapidly changing tastes, habits and sympathies of the population, which is no longer inclined to identify itself with its nomadic ancestors. The Arab community is organized along clan lines. The individual is subordinated to the interests of the family, the clan and the whole tribe. According to the Bedouin code, tribesmen are responsible for everyone’s behavior, both inside and outside the collective. Each family strives to prevent situations fraught with protracted conflicts, blood feuds, and the deterioration of the social and material status of the clan[5].
The tribal structure of Arab society follows the family organization. The Arab family, as a rule, is a large group united by kinship ties. It is headed by an elderly man and his wife, the parents, the elders of the clan. The family includes married sons, their children, married grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Often, especially in the village, they live together, work together, and decide matters together. The traditional family is based on the authority of the husband, the head of the family. He is called “the lord of the family”. The relationship between older and younger brothers is similar to the relationship between father and sons. Obedience and reverence for elders is one of the main virtues of a young man. A son is considered wise if he follows the advice of his elders. Reverence for authority, respect for power is the traditional way of relations between the people and their leaders in the Arab world.
During the existence of the Israeli state, its intelligence services have repeatedly attempted to infiltrate their agents into neighboring Arab countries. However, Jewish agents, who do not differ from Arabs in appearance, who speak Arabic perfectly, who grew up in an Arab environment, who studied all the subtleties of etiquette and the way of life of these people, could not infiltrate into Arab society: the clear hierarchical structure of society, the cohesion of Arab families and clans instantly made it possible to identify elements alien to them. Family relations and family traditions are the core that permeates the whole society. The family is at the top of the list of life values of all Arabs, Muslims and Christians alike.
The subordinate position maintained for the majority of Arabs from generation to generation, from century to century, the impact of the Muslim religion, which regulates virtually every aspect of people’s lives, has strengthened in the minds of Arabs the disbelief in their personal transformative abilities, and developed submission and humility. “Inshallah” – “Everything is in the hands of Allah” – is the duty phrase accompanying any action of an Arab. “If God gives” – hope for success. In case of failure – “It was Allah’s will”.
Hard physical labor, the conditions of which did not change for centuries, low development of productive forces accustomed the Arabs to calmly endure difficulties and hardships, educated in them unpretentiousness, moderation, high adaptability, patience, which entered into folk sayings: “Patience is the key to joy”, “Patience can destroy mountains”, “Patience preserves what you have”.
In the conditions of constant struggle for existence, the need to overcome the resistance of nature, the Arabs developed a submissive readiness for hard labor, which, however, did not become diligence. Labor in Arabs is not combined with discipline, pedantry and scrupulousness in work. For most workers, the fruits of labor – leisure and recreation – are more important than the actual results of labor. Idleness and laziness are practically not condemned in society. “Bukra” – “tomorrow” – means that the work assigned to an Arab is not of interest to him and most likely will not be completed in the foreseeable future[6].
Intellectual laborers – theologians and teachers – are respected in Arab society. But in the system of professional priorities of Arab youth, the desire to become a teacher is far inferior to the desire to be a merchant or to hold bureaucratic positions. In the opinion of the majority, only trade or a good official post can provide their owners with a well-fed and prosperous future.
Arabs are unusually life-loving, many people note their kindness, peacefulness, and unkindness. Among all Arab peoples I would like to single out Egyptians. According to the author’s personal impressions, Egyptians’ cheerfulness, their sense of humor, ability to forgive offenses know no bounds. One successful joke causes fun. A man walking down the street, half-voiced humming a song, in a few steps will hear someone else pick up his melody. These people love holidays and love fun, they have a well-developed sense of humor. Egyptian cartoonists make political cartoons of such witticisms, which you will not always find in “free” but “politically correct” European newspapers. Political humor allows itself to attack the highest authorities in society.
Arabs are expansive and hot-tempered people. They are characterized by increased reactivity and impetuous nature of actions. Their actions are accompanied by impulsiveness, impetuousness, intemperance in showing their feelings and emotions. But their hotness is easy, anger quickly passes. An outburst quarrel quickly subsides. Between themselves arguing Arabs almost never fight, although in the process of quarreling can shower each other with the most terrible threats. Gesticulation in Arabs is an active assistant in conversation. Gestures are varied and very different in meaning from European gestures. Some gestures, which seem offensive to Europeans, are absolutely harmless for Arabs, and vice versa. The impressionability of most Arabs is high. Depending on the cause and source of excitement, this impressionability either brings them to the extreme degree of delight or brings them to tears.
In an environment where most Europeans or Americans are stressed, an Arab can reach a state of recklessness and commit an ill-considered act without concern for its consequences. The belligerence and “savagery” of Arabs, as some Europeans imagine it, are isolated manifestations of impulsiveness of character.
There is little left of the former Bedouin in the modern Arab peasant. The belligerence of the conquering Arabs is a thing of the past. The history of the wars of the twentieth century shows that Arab armies have lost their warlike spirit. Individual theorists of Islam, who stand on militant positions, do not enjoy wide support of the masses. The modern living space occupied by the Arabs is quite satisfactory to them. Petrodollars provide the elite of society with more than decent existence. And the representatives of the poorest strata of society, thanks to religious ideology, are mostly accustomed to be satisfied with little[7].
Arabs are characterized by heightened sensitivity in matters of personal honor. Honor is one of the main components in their spiritual value system. An oath of honor is an Arab’s strongest promise. Showing doubt about the sincerity of the words of an Arab who swears by his honor is a deep resentment, memorable for a long time. Constant concern for personal honor has developed in Arabs certain standards of behavior in society and in the collective. When doing a job, for an Arab its social evaluation is more important than the result itself. Appearance of activity, which many representatives of this nation like to create, is a common phenomenon in Arab countries.
One of the strongest impressions of a trip to the Middle East for most tourists is the generosity and hospitality of the local population. The roots of these qualities lie in the psychology of nomads, their pride and high self-esteem – character traits that should be honored in every possible way by the interlocutor, emphasized by him in appropriate expressions, manifested in special respect and courtesy. The speech of an Arab is characterized by politeness, respect for the interlocutor. Due to the colorfulness and richness of the Arabic language, the speeches of the interlocutors abound with courtesies and cumbersome, mannerly expressions.
Nowadays, in the conditions of more and more dynamic life, a long introductory part in a conversation, a conversation on neutral topics is rather a tribute to tradition. Nevertheless, even now conversations most often begin with an exchange of courtesies. Mutual courtesy greatly facilitates the conduct of business, allows you to count on leniency, less demanding. Just do not forget about the taboo: if you are a man, never ask your Muslim host questions about the female half of his family. The honor of women is a very sensitive issue for Arabs.
Hospitality, the desire to give a worthy welcome to a guest, goes back centuries. This tradition originates from the Bedouin way of life, when the desert was a constant danger. The tradition of sheltering a guest, welcoming him warmly, marking his stay with a feast or, in any case, treating him with water, a cup of coffee or tea is very much a part of Arabian life. Refusal of hospitality is an offense to the host.
Peculiarities of the Arabian linguistic world picture
Any nation is characterized by its own linguistic picture of the world. The linguistic picture of the world is a complex of worldview features conditioned by the specificity of the lexicon and grammar of the language of a particular nation. The Arabic language, like any other natural language, reflects a certain way of perceiving the world. Mastery of a language implies mastery of the world picture reflected in that language. The totality of perceptions of the world contained in the meanings of different words and expressions of the Arabic language is formed into a certain unified system of views and prescriptions, which to a greater or lesser extent is shared by all Arabic speakers[8].
For example, in English, the semantic components that constitute the core meaning of words and expressions can be (and often are) consciously contested by native speakers. Therefore, they are not part of the linguistic conceptualization of the world common to all speakers of a given language. On the contrary, the representations that form the linguistic picture of the world are implicitly included in the meanings of linguistic expressions and do not normally come into the focus of speakers’ attention. As a result, an English speaker usually takes them for granted, without thinking about them and without noticing it; he or she has the illusion that this is the way life works.
However, the vocabulary of the modern Arabic literary language is characterized by the fact that the main part of it is originally Arabic. Some part of the vocabulary is common-semitic, and only an insignificant part is foreign-language. Although there are also purely Arabic synonyms for foreign-language words (of which there are already a small number) in a number of cases. To better realize how fully and qualitatively Arabic conveys the meaning of things, let us look at a few specific examples concerning everyday words. An example of the word “Student”.
In Arabic, “student” sounds like “talib”, i.e. literally, the concept of “student” in Arabic means “seeking, asking, demanding”. And indeed, a student is not a simple pupil, but someone who seeks and demands knowledge himself, not hesitating to ask people for help in doing so, if there is a need for it. That is, for the mentality of a European student it is uncharacteristic, especially to ask, to demand knowledge from people. Thus, the Arabic word conveys the true essence of a student – a young man who feels the craving for knowledge and strives for it. Moreover, even by the example of a single word, it becomes clear what actions a seeker of knowledge should take in order to succeed in his endeavor.
An example with the word “Officer”. Again, to understand the meaning, you need to open an explanatory dictionary, which will first give a translation from a foreign language, and only then will explain the essence of the concept. Of course, many people have some idea that an officer is a military superior, but this understanding is actually vague, and it lives in people’s minds without any connection to the word “officer” (the word itself is incomprehensible). In Arabic “officer” sounds like “dabit”, it is a participle of the verb “dabata” – “to hold, restrain, restrain”. At all times and in all nations, officers were members of the elite of society. The elite is a part of society, which is characterized by richer culture and morality. One of the primary tasks of officers is to keep order and discipline in the troops, and, in case of military success – to restrain soldiers from atrocities and looting, and in case of failure – to keep them from fleeing. Thus, the officer keeps order, restrains from atrocities, and keeps from flight[9].
Consider the example of the word “Sabbath”. In Arabic, this word is derived from the verb “sabata” – “to be at rest, to rest”. In Arabs the seventh day of the week literally sounds as “day of rest”. This name most likely originates from the prohibition to work on this day of the week, which was established by Prophet Moses (PBUH) and was abolished only by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In Arabic language the days of the week are called by words formed from ordinal numbers. And Sunday corresponds to “the first day”, Monday to “the second day”, etc., Thursday to “the fifth day”, and Friday to “the day of assembly”, and Saturday to “the day of rest”. To this day in Arab countries, the week is organized in such a way that after the five working days, which are called ordinal numbers, there are two days off: the “day of assembly”, when all adult males are obliged to attend collective prayer in the mosque, and the “day of rest”, when one can rest at home all day and not go anywhere.
In the Anglo-Saxon tradition, the first day of the week also corresponds to “Sunday” as in Arabic, with the only difference that it is called “the day of the sun” and is not the first working day. As can be seen from this example, even the days of the week in Arabic have simple and understandable names, unlike in Russian, where a foreigner has to look up almost every word in a dictionary. Such examples can be cited endlessly, as it is enough just to open the “Arabic-Russian dictionary” and write out from there literally word by word.
Thus, the concept of the Arabic linguistic picture of the world paints its own picture, depicting reality somewhat differently than other languages, including English. The Arabic language makes excellent use of the mechanisms of word formation, immersing a person in verbal associations that generate rich imaginative images, thanks to which a person can adequately respond to situations arising in everyday life, and more accurately understand and convey deep scientific concepts, i.e. most Arabic words have an open internal form.
Peculiarities of the national Arab religion (Islam), which influence the life and culture of the Arabs
The link between faith and traditional way of life has been characteristic of Islam at all times, but it is especially evident today, when ideologists and politicians, speaking under the slogan of Islam, try to declare as many people as possible Muslims just because they adhere to many customs of their fathers.
The knowledge of the basics of the Muslim religion varies widely among different segments of the population and in different countries of the traditional spread of Islam. Every Muslim knows the Arabic sound and meaning of the creed of the religion of Islam: “There is no deity but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. In 14 centuries it has grown from a small group of Arabia into a multi-million mass of people of different nationalities, different languages, different social strata and cultural orientations[10].
The greatness of God – Allah – is expressed in many formulas well known to all Muslims and often repeated by them in speech, prayers, everyday exclamations, as well as constantly found in the elegant ligature of Arabic writing, on the monuments of Muslim architecture in Asia, Africa, Europe and America: “Allahu akbar” – “Allah is the greatest!” etc.
According to Muslim doctrine, people who do not profess Islam are “infidels,” among whom Jews and Christians are singled out as “people of the Scriptures.” According to the Koran, they believe in the same god as Muslims. This god and to them sent his messengers Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), who carried the words of God to people. However, people distorted and forgot what those taught. That is why Allah sent Muhammad, His last prophet, with the word of God, the Qur’an. It was the last attempt to guide people to the righteous path, the last warning, after which the end of the world and the Judgment should come, when all people will be rewarded according to their deeds – they will go to the Gardens of Paradise or to hellfire.
Almost everyone knows the “five pillars” of Islam, the five main duties of a believer. The first of these is prayer. The Muslim prayer consists of a series of bows accompanied by the recitation of various religious formulas.
A Muslim is prescribed five prayers a day, which can be performed at home, in the mosque and in the field. Prayer is preceded by ritual ablution. Friday is the day of general prayer, when all Muslims should gather for collective prayer in the main mosque of a town, village or district. The mosque is a place of prayer, a place for religious schools, and a center for religious sermons and disputations.
The third ritual duty of a Muslim is fasting. Muslim fasting consists of abstaining from food, drink, and entertainment. During the period of fasting Muslims daily from sunrise (even before dawn it is necessary to take the last meal, as a rule not later than 1.5-2 hours before sunrise) and until sunset abstain from eating, drinking and intimacy. All the time should be in principle devoted by a person to Allah, occupied with prayers, reading the Koran and religious works, pious reflections. The specificity of fasting in Islam is that it restricts not the composition of food, as in Christianity, but the time of its acceptance.
The holy fast of the month of Ramadan is essential and obligatory for all except the sick, travelers, etc., and there is also a date on which it is desirable to fast. In addition to the usual five prayers, an additional Namaz is performed every night, either individually or collectively, which is provided only during Ramadan. On Ramadan days, meals are eaten only after sunset, after the evening prayer. Taking medicine is also included in the category of eating. One refrains from it. But if for some reason a person has to break the fast, he is obliged to announce it and swear to make up for it by fasting at another time after the official fasting time is over[11].
The end of the month of Ramadan and, consequently, the month of fasting is marked by the Feast of Feast of Feast, the second most important feast in Islam. On the eve and on the day of the feast, obligatory alms are collected. The collected funds go in favor of the community (the poor, travelers, etc.) in the form of money or in the form of dry food. On the feast day Muslims perform festive ritual prayer, put on their best clothes, prepare traditional dishes, and after the festive prayer they set festive tables, invite neighbors, relatives and friends to visit, make return visits with gifts, rejoice and have fun. On the happy day of the holiday for all Muslims, children take part in various games, visit neighbors who give them sweets. At this time it is also customary to visit the graves of loved ones, give donations to the poor, give gifts and ask forgiveness from each other.
The fourth obligation of every Muslim is the Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca (with a caveat – if he or she is physically and financially able to do so), especially to the Kaaba, the main shrine of Islam. The Kaaba is a small building, in the southwest corner of which is embedded a “black stone” (a meteorite kept there since ancient times) – according to legend, sent by Allah from heaven to people as a sign of his power and favor.
The pilgrimage takes place in a month which, like Ramadan, is a month of the lunar calendar and therefore falls at different times of the year. The pilgrims, wearing special white robes and having passed the ritual purification ceremony, make a solemn circumambulation around the Kaaba, drink water from the nearby sacred spring Zamzam. Then follow solemn processions and prayers in the hills and valleys around Mecca, associated with the legend of the stay in those places of the forefather Ibrahim, the first preacher of monotheism.
The end of Hajj is a major Muslim holiday celebrated with prayers and sacrifices throughout the Muslim world. People who have performed the Hajj bear the honorable nickname of Hadji (in Central Asia more often Khoja) and are respected by their relatives in their native places. The distinctive feature of the khadji is the green turban.
The fifth obligation of a Muslim is the compulsory tax on property and income, which in theory goes to the needs of the community and is distributed among the poor and indigent.
In addition, voluntary donations and almsgiving are also prescribed for every Muslim.
In addition to the restrictions associated with fasting, Islam has a large number of prohibitions governing various aspects of a Muslim’s life. Thus, it is forbidden for a Muslim to drink alcoholic beverages, eat pork, and gamble. Islam forbids usury[12].
Of course, not all these and other rules are strictly observed, but from time to time, in particular in the seventies of our century, in various Muslim states, control over the observance of cultic rules, for example, fasting in Ramadan, is strengthened. In fact, all these socio-economic regulators of justice within the Islamic community were and remain good wishes from the beginning. The church tax quickly became a regular state tax, alms was used for the needs of the religious cult, and usury prohibitions were easily circumvented by formalizing the giving of money in growth as a joint financial venture between the creditor and the debtor.
Sometimes jihad is included in the “pillars of Islam”. The word means a Muslim’s total commitment of his strength, capabilities, time and, if necessary, life to the triumph of his religion. In most cases in the Middle Ages it was reduced to participation in the armed struggle against “infidels”, and the meaning of the term – respectively to the concept of “holy war”, and such an understanding of it became traditional for Europeans. In fact, the concept of jihad is much broader, and it is in this broader sense that it is now used in the Muslim world, in particular in the resolutions and decisions of various pan-Muslim conferences.
Islam is a very wide-ranging system of social regulation. Almost every aspect of a Muslim’s life is considered religiously significant. A man becomes a Muslim when he is circumcised at an early age.
Marriage is performed in the presence of clerics, and is recorded and fixed by them by reading the sacred texts of the Koran. Divorce for a Muslim man is relatively simple, for a woman it is more complicated but also possible.
Islam allows a man to have up to four wives if he is able to support them equally well. At present, polygamy is relatively rare in practice, and in some Muslim countries it is somewhat restricted by law. Funeral rites also involve the recitation of certain suras of the Koran. Burial is usually on the day of death; the body is placed in the grave wrapped in a shroud, without a coffin, with the head toward Mecca. According to Muslim beliefs, all the dead will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment to stand before Allah and answer for their deeds and intentions.
Muslim men must walk with their heads covered. This is done by wearing different caps such as skullcaps and various types of turbans, a scarf tied around the head. Women should cover their face and body from the gaze of strange men[13].
The traditional clothing of Muslims is wide and comfortable to wear in those countries, mainly southern countries, where most Muslims live. A common attribute of a devout Muslim is a rosary of 99 or 33 beads used for counting praises to Allah.
In Islam, praising Allah repeatedly and repeating his ninety-nine “beautiful names” is considered a pious duty.
Family morality and Islam’s view of gender relations reflect the notions of patriarchy and ancestry. Woman is a subordinate being created by Allah to please man. At the same time, the Koran recognizes the human and civil rights of women: it condemns the husband’s excessive cruelty towards his wife, and stipulates women’s property rights – the right to a dowry and inheritance. The Koran somewhat eased the position of women in comparison with the patriarchal customary law of the Arabs.
The social principles of early Islam reflected the same patriarchal tribal system. All Muslims are equal before God, but property differences, wealth and poverty are recognized as a natural fact established by Allah himself. A compulsory tax in favor of the poor is intended as if to mitigate property contradictions; however, private property is protected by the Koran. Trade profits are declared legitimate, while usury is condemned, which seems to be the result of a compromise between the interests of the merchant class and the mass of farmers and nomads who suffered from usury and bondage. Bondage for debt is prohibited.
From the 6th-7th centuries to the present day, the concept of sharia – the path to god through the fulfillment of all the rules of the Law – has coexisted with the concept of tariqa, the theoretical basis of Sufism, according to which some people can earn the favor of Allah and even approach him and know him through a state of ecstasy that crowns a life that is built according to special, different from everyday rules of piety and asceticism[14].
The ethics of Islam are quite elementary. It is prescribed to be just, to reward good with good and evil with evil, to be generous, to help the poor, etc. Unlike Christianity, there are no unrealizable moral precepts in Islam. These peculiarities of Islam, generated by the very conditions of its emergence, facilitated its spread among the Arabs. Although in the struggle, overcoming the resistance of tribal aristocracy, inclined to separatism (the uprising of the tribes of Arabia after the death of Mohammed), Islam soon enough won a complete victory among the Arabs. The new religion indicated to the warlike Bedouins a simple and clear way to enrichment, to get out of the crisis: conquest of new lands. In Islam there is no church serving as an intermediary between man and Allah, nor a spiritual estate possessing special grace; spiritual and secular power are inseparable in Islamic theory and partly in practice.
The Arabs’ attitude to tourism and the peculiarities of Arab behavior during tourist holidays
Arabs’ attitude towards tourism is positive. Since religion, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, plays an important role in Arab life, Arabs prefer to visit countries where the main religion is Islamic. According to 2022 statistics, the most popular country visited by Arab tourists was Turkey. On the example of Turkey, let’s consider what exactly attracts Arabs and what they are guided by when choosing a route for a vacation.
Turkey is quite affordable for most Arab tourists. For example, compared to the countries of Western Europe, Turkey is quite competitive. A tourist can live with the same amount of money they would spend in their home country while traveling in beautiful Turkey. Hotels, food and transportation are as expensive as in most Gulf countries (where most Arab tourists to Turkey come from). It is even cheaper than countries like Lebanon and Jordan in almost every aspect. In addition, Turkey offers a wide range of prices. In addition, airfare to Turkey is much cheaper than to all other attractive destinations, both in South Asia and Europe. Moreover, with the recent drop in the value of the Turkish lira, it has become even more attractive. I remember that the lira was worth about 2.3 Saudi riyals in 2013, whereas now it is worth only 1 riyal. This makes a big difference to the budget of the Arabs.
Turkey is only a few hours away from most Arab countries. A flight from Riyadh, Dubai or Manama to Istanbul takes only about 3-4 hours, and certainly much less from Baghdad, Kuwait and Beirut. Many Arabs dislike or cannot tolerate long flights to other potential resorts such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, especially when traveling with family[15].
Turkey offers a wide range of everything. For example, for many Muslim Arabs it is important to have easy access to mosques wherever they are. Many Arabs like to hear the call to prayer, which is not the case in other countries. For young Arabs who like the Western lifestyle, Turkey offers everything there is to offer. The nightlife is pretty inclusive of everything. Clubs are available in most major cities.
Turkish landscapes can satisfy the needs of just about anyone. There are amazing beaches, verdant mountains, ice covered peaks, agricultural plains, bays and straits, lively cities, etc. Turkish cuisine also offers a wide variety of dishes that most people enjoy. Turkish foods containing meat of all kinds, in particular, can be very tasty to Arabs who have similar dishes. Many Arabs struggle to find halal food in other countries, while in Turkey, most do not even question whether or not the food is halal given the Islamic culture in Turkey. In addition, there are many popular Turkish restaurants in the Gulf countries and therefore Arabs are familiar with Turkish food. For example, Saudi Arabia has at least one good Turkish restaurant on every main street in every major city.
Turkey is without a doubt a stunning country with stunning beauty of people, houses, nature, fashion and everything nearby. This is also important for Arabs as aesthetic experiences are very important to them. Turks are known in most Arab countries for their friendliness. They are usually not shy to lend a helping hand to strangers and tourists.
For Arabs, it is important that the people of the country they are visiting are like them in some way – either in religion, appearance, or culture. That is why they choose Turkey. There are hundreds of thousands of Turks working in Arabia. Arabs know Turks. They are not too different from each other.
In addition, Turkish cinema is extremely popular in the Arab world. Many Arabs watch Turkish soap operas which form a very positive view of Turkey, they feel familiar with the setting and characters of the people, and have a good idea of what to expect when visiting Turkey. Many have traveled to see a particular street, beach, marina or square that they have seen in one of these shows.
In 2021 – 2022, there was a 105 increase in the number of Arab tourists visiting Russia. Let’s consider what preferences Arabs are guided by when choosing a vacation in Russia. According to the observations of Intourist specialists, MICE and luxury segment are the most popular among Arab tourists in Russia. As a rule, Arabs make high demands on infrastructure, choosing five-star hotels and expensive restaurants. At the same time, a classic cultural program with a tour of museums and other historical and cultural sights is in less demand than exclusive offers. As representatives of the oldest Russian tour operator emphasize, Arab travelers are particularly interested in unusual tours to Russia, such as hunting, fishing, and riding on tanks.
In a broad sense, the Arab outbound market is not much different from the others, except for one thing: Russia is perceived there as a new destination. For the Arab market, Russia is a kind of revelation. And in this respect it is easy to work with the Arabs, because it is somewhat easier for Russians to surprise them. But on the other hand, the Arab side easily applies its bargaining skills, so the Middle Eastern partners will not pay too much.
Russia is a “mystery” for Middle Eastern tourists, and Arabs love everything new and mysterious, on vacation they are waiting for bright new impressions. The preference for Russia as a tourist destination can be associated with the lack of information about this country: it is not available both in the local media and in social media.
The food preferences of Arabs, conditioned by the peculiarities of their religion, play an important role in choosing a hotel. it is very important for Russian hotels and other objects of tourist infrastructure to take into account the “halal” factor when receiving Arab tourists. In particular, many hotels in the Muslim regions of Russia already provide halal food options, which is one of the reasons contributing to the growth of tourist traffic[16].
When Arabs are in another country, they observe the principles of food, dress and behavior, conditioned by the peculiarities of the Islamic religion. In this regard, more and more hotels are appearing in the world that are oriented specifically to Arabs as carriers of Islamic culture. In the early 2010s, the British media began to write about the mass opening of halal hotels in seaside resorts. In 2013, The Economist published a piece on the economics of this industry, predicting its rapid growth. And at the end of 2016, for example, the volume of this market amounted to about $130 billion. And, most likely, this figure will continue to grow.
If the first halal hotels were opened primarily in Muslim countries (Turkey, Indonesia, Dubai, UAE), now their geography is actively expanding. In Japan, which AirAsia’s top management set the Philippines as an example, the government has made considerable efforts to make the country attractive to those who profess Islam. Owners of local restaurants and stores were even given special memos telling them how to behave with guests from Muslim countries to make them feel comfortable. In February 2018, Uzbekistan asked a Spanish consulting firm to analyze the country’s attractiveness to halal tourists. The development of this industry is increasingly being talked about in Russia and the CIS countries.
Turkey was one of the first countries to take a broader look at the prospects of halal tourism. It was there that specialized hotel chains began to open in the early 2010s. It was assumed that such hotels would allow families practicing Islam to get rid of the need to choose between religious norms and the opportunity to relax at a resort. One of them proclaimed a capacious slogan “Sun, sea and halal!”.
The main requirements for such hotels are absence of alcohol on its territory, halal menu, availability of namaz schedule and prayer mats in hotel rooms. In addition, during the fasting period the staff of hotels should be ready, for example, to serve breakfast for guests at night.
But the first rule of such resort hotels is separate beaches and pools for women and men. In most of them, guests of different sexes in general meet only for breakfast, lunch or dinner, unless, of course, they did not come on vacation together.
Among the additional options – closed cabins on the beaches, where women can sunbathe not only in swimsuits, but also topless. And also, for example, special prayer rooms and even announcements of prayer times, complete absence of music in the hotel or specialized religious excursions.
The Muslim travel industry is developing almost in the same way as the traditional tourist market. Here, too, it is no longer necessary to buy tours from agencies to be sure of getting into a halal hotel. The HalalBooking website has appeared on the Internet, with a name and design surprisingly reminiscent of the popular online booking giant. Here you can independently select and book a hotel, with the description detailing the available services: for example, the presence of a separate pool or the availability of halal menu not only on the territory of the hotel, but also in nearby restaurants. The site’s description says it was founded in 2009 by a group of “forward-thinking Muslims” who had previously held senior positions in tourism-related companies or simply in large multinational corporations.
In addition to beach recreation, where this industry started, the list includes thermal SPA centers and ski resorts. The average price of the presented hotels is about $100 per night. A halal villa in one of the exotic destinations will cost $400-500 per night. Dominate indeed offers in Turkey, UAE and Indonesia. But you can find, for example, a hotel at a ski resort in Switzerland ($326 per night – about the same amount the same hotel costs on the usual booking sites), a city hotel in Paris (from $100 to $200 per night) or a sanatorium in Slovenia. In the last three, however, halal-service will be provided upon special request and in limited limits – no one promises to divide swimming pools and saunas into female and male. That is, in general, we are talking about a typical hotel, ready to adjust to the preferences of customers. You can also find hotels in Italy, Spain, Great Britain, Tanzania or Morocco. duAlmost 10 years ago, the British agency Crescent tours became one of the first travel agencies, replenished their catalogs with Turkish halal resorts.
Now on its website you can find halal packages with names like “Unforgettable Spain”, “Classic Bosnia” or “Bangkok Charms”. The client is guaranteed not only halal food and the presence of the Koran in the hotel, but also compliance with Sharia law at all stages of the trip – from arrival at the airport to departure.
Against the backdrop of the recent debate about the permissibility of burkini on popular beach destinations, halal tours for Muslims who adhere to stricter rules can be an effective way to avoid conflicts or misunderstandings with other vacationers or hotel staff.
Сonclusion
Thus, the following conclusions can be drawn. Arabs have a positive attitude to tourism and are ready to pay for good conditions of accommodation and recreation. Representatives of this nationality are very fond of traveling. But in order to attract Arabs to a particular place of rest, it is necessary, first of all, to understand the peculiarities of the national mentality that affects the life and culture of Arabs. First of all, it is religion. Religious tenets of Islam play an important role in the life of Arabs, influence their culture, everyday life, preferences in clothing, eating habits. When Arabs are on vacation, they strictly follow the tenets of Islam, so not all European hotels are in demand among Arabs. In order to attract Arabs as a target audience, it is necessary to find out how much their religious affiliation affects the choice of hotel. It is possible to conduct research in this area using the method of questionnaire survey.
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