Halal Tourism in Central Asia: Developing Service Systems in Uzbekistan
jhsr.200007
Davronbek Kodirov
Bukhara State University, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Ugiloy Mavlonova
Bukhara State University, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Turonbek Kodirov
Bukhara State University, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Nilufar Allayarova
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract
This article discusses problems and prospects for the development of halal/Islamic tourism in Uzbekistan based on the presence of Islamic cultural heritage, objects associated with spiritual travel and spiritual places. The authors argue that instead of focusing on specific actors and firms within the industry, the analytical focus must be directed at the service system as a whole. The implications for policy and decision makers are clear: instead of focusing whether a specific operator offers a halal service, one must scrutinize the whole value-chain including the environment, governance, culture, infrastructure, institutional norms, and market conduct.
Keywords: halal tourism, service networks, service systems, Islamic culture, Islamic heritage, halal hotels, halal gastronomy