Alfonso Vargas-Sánchez
(Sin comentarios, para que cada quien se forme su propia opinión exclusivamente con base en los datos, presentados con cierta perspectiva temporal)
Fuente: Elaboración propia con datos del Instituto Nacional de Estadística (p = provisional)
Nota: Los meses anteriores también pueden consultarse en este blog. Noviembre 2021: https://alfonsovargassanchez.blogspot.com/2021/12/algunos-indicadores-del-turismo-en-la.html
(Post nº 400 en este blog)
Fuente: Observatorio Argos
Servicio Andaluz de Empleo, Junta de Andalucía
Es decir, Huelva:
(a) Provincia con menor aumento del número de contratos.
(b) Tercera provincia con mayor temporalidad en la contratación (por encima de la media regional), sólo superada por Jaén y Córdoba.
(c) Cuarta provincia con menor porcentaje de contratos formalizados en el sector turístico sobre el total provincial (por debajo de la media regional), sólo por delante de Almería, Córdoba y Jaén.
(d) Provincia en la que la caída del número medio de demandantes de empleo en el sector ha sido menor.
(e) En último lugar entre las provincias costeras en cuanto a demandantes de empleo que se encuadran en el sector turístico (por debajo de la media regional).
La tabla siguiente detalla las ocupaciones con más contratos en el sector.
A continuación, sigue el
desglose de las ocupaciones más demandadas.
Finalmente:
Provincia de Huelva. Nº
medio de demandantes de empleo en el sector = 5.759
Provincia de Huelva. Cifra media de paro registrado en el sector = 3.339
Nota 1: En la actualidad, el turismo es mucho más que estos perfiles laborales. Las
estadísticas oficiales también deberían ponerse al día.
Nota 2: Los datos del trimestre anterior están disponibles en:
https://alfonsovargassanchez.blogspot.com/2021/10/el-mercado-de-trabajo-en-el-sector.html
(Post nº 399 en este blog)
The interview that the journalist M.H. Goodarzi recently carried out to me for the IQNA news agency is reproduced below.
In recent years, halal tourism has been considered in many non-Islamic countries and investments have been made in this field. What do you think is the reason for this attention?
The reason is twofold: one relates to the increasing size of this segment and the other because of its spending level.
The first connects with the growth of the Muslim population worldwide: the Pew Research Center has estimated that it will represent one in three people in 2050 (the increase of the resident population in Western countries is an extra factor to consider). Obviously, this determines the number of international Muslim travellers’ arrivals, estimated at 160 million in 2019 (Mastercard-CrescentRating GMTI 2021), and their travel expenses.
In this regard, and this is the second reason, it is a segment with a relatively high average expenditure per person, with, therefore, a noteworthy economic impact on destinations. Its familiar character contributes to raising this impact.
What do you think are the biggest challenges for the growth of the halal tourism industry in the world?
From my perspective, the main challenges are two:
-The increase in the awareness of the opportunity that this market segment can represent, together with how to harness it. The availability of more information and training to tourism operators are, therefore, imperative.
-As the Muslim market is a very broad and heterogeneous segment due to the existence of different interpretations of Islam and levels of religiosity, the existence of a single halal (or at least Muslim-friendly, although not fully halal) standard and certification with global recognition would be a huge step forward to remove barriers for its international expansion.
Spain is one of the countries with a history of Muslim presence in its history. To what extent can this issue attract Muslim tourists?
Certainly, Spain is one of the countries that treasures the most historical and artistic heritage of Arab origin. The Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula for almost eight centuries has left an indelible tangible and intangible mark on buildings, names, customs…
This rich cultural heritage makes this country a destination with a clear potential for attracting Muslim tourists. Thus, specialized travel agencies, webs, blogs and forums dedicated to halal tourism recommend visits to the most outstanding representatives of the Arab legacy present in the history and heritage of Spain.
For instance, the Global Muslim Travel Index 2019 reflects the remarkable growth potential of this market segment for Spain, ranked as the second most attractive European destination (only behind the United Kingdom and at the same level as France). It is also in 9th position among non-OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) countries and in 1st position among inbound destinations for Muslims in non-OIC countries. The pandemic has eroded its relative position in the Global Muslim Travel Index 2021, but its potential is intact.
Official statistics also show a noticeable increase, in the last years before the pandemic, in the number of arrivals of tourists from North African countries (such as Morocco) and the Middle East (particularly the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia).
What is the status of the halal tourism industry in Spain and what measures have been taken to attract Muslim tourists?
From a tourism development point of view, the challenge is to convert the abovementioned extraordinary resource base into products that fit the needs of this market segment. To make it, the creation of an ecosystem where the various stages of the tourism supply chain are present is critical: transport, hotels, restaurants, leisure activities, etc.
In this line, gaining knowledge about halal tourists’ profiles, perceptions and behaviours, together with the right implementation of this type of offering in the various tourism subsectors (accommodation establishments, food providers, etc.), is essential for tourism operators. In this sense, the authentication of halal or Muslim-friendly services is a key factor.
In this regard, the guidance and certification provided in Spain by the Halal Institute is notable. This is an organization dependent of the Islamic Board of Spain, which plays a central role in support of companies facing the challenge of thriving in the halal or Muslim-friendly market.
Before the pandemic, Turespaña -the public body in charge of promoting Spain as a travel destination in the world- launched a new campaign in which halal tourism was one of the segments to target. In this line, some regions are also adding their marketing efforts in the same direction, such as its Southern region, with the campaign “Andalusia your roots, your destination: Halal Tourism”, based on the formidable historical and artistic heritage of Muslim origin.
How do you assess the future of the halal tourism industry?
Once the pandemic is over, halal tourism will recover its vigour and attractiveness, fuelled, in the short term, by the contained desire of travelling and, retaking the structural factors that determine its development, by the expected upward evolution of the population that professes this creed together with the reinvigoration of economic growth in outbound Muslim tourism markets. Nonetheless, I envisage a halal tourism market at the international level with a more marked dual character, where major inbound destinations -such as European countries- will target the high-end (luxury) segment with renovated commercial efforts and experiential products.
The translation of this interview (conducted in English) can be also found in Farsi, French, German and Spanish languages.
(Post nº 398 in this blog)
