Many Muslims would like to join group trips but have no interest in wine tastings and restaurants that are not halal. Tijani Goullet (46) from ’s-Hertogenbosch sees a gap in the market and is launching a tour operator for this overlooked group.
A Kras group tour in Andalusia, fifteen years ago. The program includes a visit to a local vineyard, complete with a wine tasting. Tijani Goullet and his travel companion look at each other. As Muslims, they are not allowed to drink alcohol at all. Still, they shrug it off. “Even if it’s not ideal, you know that something like this can happen.”
The next day, the group heads to a village known for its delicious hams. For dinner, they go together to a restaurant. “There was a little stream running through it with fish that they caught using nets. We thought: luckily, we won’t have to starve. But at the restaurant, they refused to prepare the fish without ham.”
Het gezicht van Goullet betrekt. ,,Alsof het niet erg genoeg was, gingen we de dag erna naar een sherrybrouwerij.’’ Alweer kunnen ze niet meedoen. ,,Toen waren we er wel klaar mee. Eigenlijk vonden we het best vervelend. Helemaal omdat je veel geld voor zo’n reis betaalt.”
Gap in the market
Over the years, Goullet heard from other Muslims that they were facing the same issue: travel organizations that take little account of the Islamic faith. At the same time, traditional tour operators hardly respond to this need. That is why the ’s-Hertogenbosch native founded Mosaic Travels: a tour operator specifically for Muslims.
For years, Goullet organized trips to faraway destinations as a hobby, with more and more people joining each time. From there, the idea grew to start a commercial travel organization. After a slow start due to the coronavirus pandemic, three group trips have already taken place under the Mosaic Travels banner. For next year, trips to Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Africa, and the United States are planned.
Time for the afternoon prayer
At their core, Muslim travelers are no different from other globetrotters, Goullet emphasizes: they are in search of unforgettable experiences in faraway countries. However, for Muslims, excursions should not interfere with the practice of their faith. On Friday afternoons, there must therefore be sufficient time for the midday prayer.
Not all activities are suitable. “We skip the wine tasting. Another example: in New York, comedians in comedy clubs talk only about sex.” He discovered this together with several fellow travelers. “After experiencing that, we decided we won’t go there anymore.”
Malcolm X
While traveling, Goullet—who has lived in ’s-Hertogenbosch since the age of four—tries to create a connection with the Islamic faith. For example, in New York the travelers followed in the footsteps of the famous activist Malcolm X, who converted to Islam. And in Cape Town, they go on an excursion to Bo-Kaap, a neighborhood founded by Malaysian immigrants.
According to Goullet, the typical customer is quite similar to himself: not ultra-religious, but consciously engaged with their faith. Often highly educated and a child of first-generation guest workers. “In my youth, we went back to the Rif Mountains every summer. That never really felt like a vacation, because my parents were always busy arranging things. Maybe that’s how my love for travel started—from the desire to be able to explore the world independently.”