Jeju City, South Korea (OIC-UNA) � Acknowledging the special needs of the Muslims, South Korea’s Jeju Island, which anticipates more than 100,000 Malaysian tourists annually with the commencement on Tuesday of AirAsia X direct flights from Kuala Lumpur, is preparing to become more Muslim-friendly.

Increasingly more Muslims are traveling all over the world with the choice of destinations for many Muslims, apart from the major tourist attractions, hinging on two essential factors halal food and facilities like musalla (open space outside a mosque) to fulfill their prayer obligation.

From this acknowledgment, the four-season island, south of the Korea Peninsula, which was formed some two million years ago from volcanic activity, will soon have more musalla or prayer rooms in public places and several halal-certified restaurants, according to Bernama News Agency.

“We expect to receive more Muslim tourists, hopefully, more than 100,000 annually, especially with the start of AirAsia X direct flights from Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

“In our drive to welcome them, we want to make sure that they are comfortable and are able to enjoy Jeju better with prayer places and eat food prepared accordingly with the requirement of their faith,” said Executive Director of the Tourism Policy Division of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Hyun Hak-soo.

Source: International Islamic News Agency