A Framework to Compare Historical and Modern Islamic Spiritual Tourism: Study of Algerian and Malaysian Tourism

This conceptual paper builds on the argument that market for Islamic tourism is growing and it needs to be studied from various perspectives. One such perspective pinpoints historical and modern aspects of Islamic spiritual tourism that will further enhance its marketability. This study analyses the two different angles of Islamic tourism: historical in Algeria and modern in Malaysia. Due to the availability of resources and a multi-faith based social infrastructure, countries such as Algeria and Malaysia can capitalize on the emerging market of Islamic tourism. The purpose of this research is to identify the people, places and events associated with Islamic tourism in these two countries. Findings suggest that Muslim and non-Muslim spiritual tourists could be marketed Islamic tourism by employing both historical and modern resources if a standard format is adopted. Hence, a framework is presented for comparing historical and modern aspects of Islamic tourism with respect to tourism places, people and events. This unique research emphasizes on positioning Islamic tourism products based on historical and modern dimensions, hence filling a critical gap in marketing tourism in general and spiritual tourism specifically. A relevant empirical study of travelers interested in historical and modern Islamic tourism is a palpable future study. Keywords: Islamic tourism, Algeria, Malaysia, historical and modern

The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Religious Tourism to the Kartarpur Corridor

The aim of this paper is to analyse the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religious tourism in the Kartarpur Gurdwara Corridor between the Punjab States of Pakistan and India. The corridor was opened as a peace building initiative 72 years after the partition of India-Pakistan. In November 2019, thousands of Sikh pilgrims visited Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib in Punjab to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of the founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nanakji, where he spent last 19 years of his life. The Government of Pakistan invested heavily to build the infrastructure facilities for connecting both borders for religious tourism. The two phases of development of Kartarpur created economic opportunities for the growth of bilateral trade, religious tourism, diplomacy, and peaceful relationships. However, the COVID-19 based travel lockdown caused devastating economic impacts on the Kartarpur religious tourism site and related businesses just four months after its opening. This paper highlights the importance of Kartarpur religious tourism and the devastating economic impact from COVID-19 on the niche spiritual tourism-based economy, employment, marketing, and peace associated with Kartarpur. Qualitative content analysis was adopted using quotes from internet sources to reach findings. Some opportunities are highlighted for a better understanding of global health issues, unified efforts to fight the pandemic and mutual support for spiritual tourism development among Indians and Pakistanis. Policy implications suggest that post-COVID-19, public-private partnership is needed to cooperatively plan, develop, and promote religious tourism, build awareness, and cooperate for common resource management for economic benefits. COVID-19 could be a cooperative stimulus for peaceful change through bilateral trade, travel, and tourism plans, based on responsible cross-border tourism for India and Pakistan; to create a mutually beneficial South-Asian economic success story

The Rise of Spiritual Tourism in South Asia as Business Internationalization

Globalization and digitization are motivating organizations around the world to manage and internationalize their products and services. Adaptively, most Asian companies are internationalizing their businesses with respect to various industries; one obvious example is the tourism industry. The global tourism industry can be segmented into niche types such as heritage tourism, dark tourism, medical tourism, including spiritual tourism. The objective of this paper is to analyze the rise of spiritual tourism in South Asian countries and discusses its operations that are internationalized rather than being region-centric or locally focused. It is argued that that public and private tourism operators in South Asia have realized that spiritual tourism presents an attractive product to invest and market based on people, places, and events. However, the challenge is to internationalize multi-faith spiritual tourism in the context of people, places, and events that would be the only way to develop and sustain this niche segment of the tourism business. It is argued that there are various factors that could enable South Asian countries to effectively internationalize their spiritual tourism destinations. The paper concludes that business internationalization of South Asian spiritual tourism, will not only achieve economic development objectives, but also social and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and bi-lateral diplomatic goals for regional peace and prosperit

The Role of IS in Islamic Banking: A Cultural Perspective

This research is located in the topic area of culture and information systems. It is set in the finance industry against the backdrop of globalisation. The particular focus is on the influence of Islamic culture on the role and development of information systems in Islamic banking. The notion of role is treated as a rich description of the behaviour and responsibilities of information systems. This research will use ANT (Actor Network Theory) to study the relevant actors i.e. humans and non-humans, heterogeneous networks and relationships that form the research area. An interpretive approach has been adopted for this work, using multiple case studies. The underlying theories and research design are discussed for this research in progress

Tourism Marketing mix applied for inclusive spiritual tourists in pakistan and australia

Abstract Purpose: The paper displays an exploratory research on marketing of spiritual tourism in Australia and Pakistan. The main objective of this research is to explain spiritual tourism and present elements of marketing mix for attracting spiritual tourists with inclusive attitude. The paper describes spiritual travellers with inclusivity going on journeys for spiritual enhancement and veneration for divine places of other faiths considered as holy sites. Methodology: A qualitative study constructed on face-to-face interviews with tourists qualified as spiritual travellers was managed in selected Australian and Pakistani locations. The discussion notes were screened through theme-based assessment searching for ideas and themes surfacing from interviews aligned with elements of the marketing strategy. Results: This study resulted in acknowledging people, pricing and products as vital elements of tourism marketing complementing the spiritual tourism marketing strategy design and implementation. Conclusions: This study concludes with an inclusive spiritual tourism model indicating people, pricing and products to be embraced by tourism providers to enhance their marketing outcomes. This paper accomplishes by offering the recommendation for Pakistan’s tourism administration to market holy and blessed places linked with different faiths following the branding theme of “spiritual tourism”. Future Direction: Tourism marketing mix based on people, pricing and products, could be analysed by a quantitative research testing inclusivity based behaviour of spiritual travellers. Originality: The unique and primary study handled the threat of disinclination of tourists expressing their personal religious opinions through private meetings and face-to-face discussions

Unconditional Cash Transfers and Women Empowerment: The Case of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) in Pakistan

This study has explored the welfare impact of Benazir Income Support Program’s (BISP) unconditional cash transfers on women empowerment. The program was initiated in 2011 by the government of Pakistan. The impact has been computed by using two follow up rounds i.e, 2011 & 2016 where baseline was carried out in 2011 and follow-up round was carried out in 2016. Regression Discontinuity Design approach was used to measure casual effects of the BISP cash transfers on women empowerment by selecting target and control groups based on proxy means test. The overtime impact have been estimated by employing Difference in Difference (DiD) model on panel households from 2011-2016. The study observed that BISP led to improve socio-economic wellbeing of the beneficiary women. It has brought improvement in women mobility and women participation in voting. The important contribution is an improvement in the aspect of socio-economic and political empowerment and women mobility across time and overtime. This showed continues support for longer period brought desired results

Can Design Thinking Enhance Experiential Heritage Tourism in Pakistan?

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to explore prospects for the growth of experiential heritage tourism in Pakistan. This conceptual study is motivated by the recent focus towards tourism as an economic savior; depending upon experiential values for domestic and foreign travelers in Pakistan. The main purpose of the paper is to explore the potential of experiential heritage tourism in Pakistan and analyze its mapping with the design thinking process. The examined secondary data was based on tourism and innovation literature, media reports and government statistics. The data triangulation through conceptual comparison of various secondary resources delivered findings for this original study, classifying authenticity, memorability, satisfaction, and engagement as key elements for effective experiential heritage tourism. The discussion in this paper presented the synthesis of findings with the design thinking process to enhance and grow experiential heritage tourism in Pakistan

Some novel schemes by using multiplicative calculus for nonlinear equations

This research is supported by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.In this paper, we suggest and analyze a new family of two-step predictor corrector type iterative schemes for solving nonlinear equations in the framework of multiplicative calculus. We also discuss the convergence criteria of these newly developed iterative methods. Some numerical examples will be given to illustrate the efficiency and performance of derived methods.Publisher's Versio

Management of Intracranial Hydatid Cyst

Objective: To know the clinical presentation and surgical complication of intracranial hydatid cyst.Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was done in neurosurgery department of Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar, from 2nd February 1998 to 1st October 2012. A total of 37 patients with intracranial hydatid cyst, irrespective of gender discrimination were included in this study. Intracranial hydatid cyst was diagnosed on CT scan brain. The information regarding patient demographical details, clinical features, CT brain findings and post-operative complications was documented in patient’s Performa. The data was analyzed by SPSS version 16. Frequency and percentage was calculated for categorical variables. Mean ± SD was calculated for age. Results were presented as tables.Results: A total of 37 patients were included in the study. Out of 37 patients, there were 23 (62.8%) males and 14 (37.14%) females. The mean age was 12.4 years. Most of patients presented with increased intracranial pressure features like headache, vomiting and papilloedema. Majority of the patients had hydatid cyst in parietal region %. Post-operatively two patients having wound infection and no mortality.Conclusion: Hydatid disease should be kept in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesion of the brain. The pericystic hydraulic hydatid cyst excision is the safe procedure with minimal morbidity