Abstract
Even though the importance of halal awareness in determining Muslims’ purchase intentions is recognized in the marketing literature, empirical research on this issue, particularly in the tourism context, is still limited. Hence, to fill this knowledge gap, this study examines the effect of halal awareness on Malaysian Muslims’ intention to visit homestays in Sabah, Malaysia. Besides, gender was tested as a moderator in the hypothesized relationship. A quantitative cross-sectional approach was applied to gather data from a sample of 72 males and 72 females of local Malaysian Muslims. A convenience sampling method was employed to collect data for the study. Data collected were analyzed using SmartPLS 3.3.2.9 software. The study’s findings indicate that halal awareness significantly influences Malaysian Muslims’ intention to visit homestays in Sabah, Malaysia. Additionally, the link between halal awareness and the Muslims’ intention to visit the homestays in Sabah are moderated by the factor of gender. The results indicate that the female respondents are having a higher halal awareness than the male respondents.
Highlights
Many countries got benefits for supporting Islamic tourism
The results indicate that the moderating role of gender has been inconclusive for the past few years
The R2 value for intention to visit is 0.098, which indicates that 9.8 percent of the variance in Muslims’ intention to visit homestays in Malaysia can be explained by Halal awareness
Summary
Many countries got benefits for supporting Islamic tourism. It further helps them stay competitive and increase their market share in the global tourism market (Jeaheng, Al-Ansi & Han, 2019). In Malaysia, one of the tourism products with a unique priority from the government is the homestay program (Ibrahim, 2004). This program is creating an opportunity for the local communities, especially in a rural area, to contribute to the local economic development. It plays a significant role in reducing the rural area's poverty rate (Kasim et al, 2016)
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