The capacity of New Zealand to accommodate the halal tourism market — Or not

• Assesses provision of halal-friendly information on New Zealand lodging websites
• Provides model of value of accommodation attributes for halal tourism
• Less than 1% of accommodation websites specifically mentioned halal.

Halal tourism and hospitality, also referred to as Islamic or sharia tourism, has implications for both the consumption and production of tourism and hospitality products. A number of potential attributes of halal accommodation are identified and applied to an analysis of accommodation provider websites in Auckland and Rotorua, two major tourist destinations in New Zealand, a country that is increasingly seeking to position itself as a halal friendly destination in Asia and the Middle East. The analysis of 367 accommodation websites found only three sites that specifically mentioned halal and also identified a number of attributes that may deter more conservative halal tourists. The findings raise significant questions with respect to the capacity of the New Zealand accommodation sector to both convey appropriate accommodation information to the Islamic market as well as provide satisfying experiences to those who do stay. Substantial improvements in training, education and communication strategies are recommended.