SOFYAN HOTEL OWNER: SHARIA HOTEL BUSINESS PROFITABLE

Jakarta, 11 Sha’ban 1435/9 June, 2014 (MINA) – The application of sharia hotel business is precisely profitable, following the sector began to tune as well as sharia tourism become a way of life of Muslims travelers.

“The number of sales increased and the average occupancy rate reached 70-80 percent,” Chairman of the Indonesian Sharia Hotel and Restaurant Association (Ahsin), Riyanto Sofyan, told Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) in Jakarta, Friday .

According to the owner of Sofyan Hotel, sharia hotel business requires things that must meet investors interests, without leaving sharia meaning itself associated with the Islamic rule of “halallan thoyiban” (halal and good). These rules include investment funds, management, food and beverages.

“All must conform based on sharia (Islamic laws), starting from its operational activities, Muslim clothing for the hotel clerks, a selection of hotels, guests segregation of men and women who will use the facilities, to the prohibition of alcoholic beverages,” said Riyanto. Since 1992, he decided to manage his hotel with a new concept that makes Sofyan Hotel as sharia hotel in Indonesia.

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The decision, he continued, aimed at increasing the business so that it would be more blessed in the world and good for the Hereafter.

“Therefore, in my hotel, there’s no bars anymore, and the sales actually rose 19 percent, after the discotheques closing, the sales also went up 13 percent,” Riyanto stressed out. He continues as saying, with the development of Islamic hotel, he is able to expand the business to have a total of 17 sharia hotels in Indonesia.

Eight hotels already in operation while seven hotels are still under construction and expected to be completed in the next five years.

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Basically Islamic and conventional hotel is equally a business that is engaged in property that provides a place to stay temporarily. The difference lies in how the presentation and range of services provided, such as the sharia hotel services, halal food, etc. Riyanto said in conventional hotels, it is free to serve alcoholic drinks and western entertainment.

While sharia hotels refers to the teachings of Islam. Foods, beverages, and restaurants must be certified as halal by the Indonesian Ulema (Scholars) Council (MUI), so that people wouldn’t eat forbidden foods such as pork. “Sharia products is good for all, both for Muslims and non-Muslims. Consuming “halallan thoyiban” (halal and good) food and beverage is a required part of Muslim life.

And to figure this out, there has to be halal certification, this is MUI’s duty to provide it, ” said Riyanto. In each sharia hotel, not only halal foods and beverage, every rest room or small room should provide enough water for purification, for both small and large bowel even shower. It is sometimes rarely found in conventional hotels.

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“The easiness of purification must be there including toilet, shower, rinse water availability as well, not just tissue. Most hotels do not provide it, so it is unfriendly for Muslims. To perform worship in the hotel, besides there must be a mosque that is big enough for a prayer congregation and in each room there should also be a sign that directs worshipers to the Qibla, prayer mat and a copy of Al-Qur’an, ” said Riyanto. (L/P04/P07/P03/E01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)