Ethical Service Recovery in Halal Tourism: Integrating Islamic Financial Principles in Hospitality Crisis Management
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jmrr/V1E4/2025-02Keywords:
Halal tourism, Islamic finance, service recovery, ethical hospitality, SERVQUAL, customer satisfaction, maqasid al-shariah, ethical tourism, Shariah compliance, reputation managementAbstract
This paper explores the intersection of service recovery, ethical tourism, and Islamic finance within the context of Halal hospitality, using the Quantum Park Hotels (QPH) case as a springboard for analysis. Following a 12-hour water outage incident, the study evaluates the service failure through the SERVQUAL framework and benchmarks recovery strategies against principles of Shariah-compliant ethics, including adl (justice), ihsan (benevolence), and amanah (trust). The analysis integrates Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), and behavioral segmentation to assess guest dissatisfaction, especially among Muslim travelers who prioritize integrity and fairness in service interactions. Findings indicate that QPH’s initial response lacked transparency and equity, violating both conventional recovery standards and Islamic ethical expectations. The paper proposes a faith-aligned three-phase recovery strategy grounded in maqasid al-shariah, encompassing fair compensation, compassionate communication, and sustainable infrastructure investment. Ethical service recovery in Halal tourism is shown to not only align with Islamic values but also yield higher guest loyalty, reduced reputational risk, and improved long-term profitability. The research contributes to the growing discourse on Islamic business ethics and offers actionable insights for Muslim-friendly hotels navigating service crises.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Dr Zahiduzzaman Zahid, Dr. Md Ruhul Amin, Md. Shahed Alamm, Md. Abu Yousuf, Dr. Muhammad Omar Foysal, Muhammad Masud Parves, Ibrahim Khalil, Nazmin Naher Nipa (Author)

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