KFCRIS work to be available on the Kindle

The King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) has co-signed an agreement with Amazon to post its books and research on the Amazon Kindle e-reader platform, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.

The Kindle application is available on mobile devices such as iPad, iPhone, Android devices.

KFCRIS Secretary General Dr Saud Al-Sarhan said this agreement reflects KFCRIS' keenness to spread the cultural, literary and scientific heritage of Islam and the Arab world.

KFCRIS was established to continue the mission of the late King Faisal bin Abdulaziz (1906-1975) in transmitting knowledge between KSA and the rest of the world. The centre serves as a platform for research bringing together researchers and institutions to preserve, publish, and produce scholastic work, particularly about the contributions and roles of Muslim societies in the humanities, the social sciences, literature, the and arts – historically, as well as today.

Emirates, Google offer discounted Arabic e-books for October

Source: Emirates; Emirates and Google are encouraging a love for Arabic literature this October.

Emirates Airline and Google are Celebrating Arabic Reading through October in a collaboration to reach millions of smartphone users in the region, and support the UAE’s Year of Reading, a national initiative spearheaded by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The aim of the UAE’s Year of Reading is to nurture an entire generation of lifelong readers, and ensure the groundwork is in place to support the country’s knowledge economy goals.

The mission of the Celebrating Arabic Reading initiative is to make Arabic books more accessible for first-time online book readers and book lovers alike with unprecedented discounts of up to 90% off on online books at the Google Play Books store, which hosts more than 5 million titles.

Discounts are valid across nine countries in the Google Play Store (both in IOS and Android) for: the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. This is the first such online book initiative, and the first discount of this scale in the region at the Google Play Store.

For a four-week period, Google will run its highest ever discount on the Play Books store on more than 4,000 popular fiction, non-fiction and children’s titles in an effort to reach millions of smartphone users in the Middle East and GCC.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group commented on Emirates’ partnership with Google: “Books can stimulate, inform, touch minds and hearts, and open up a world of possibilities for readers. As founding sponsors of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, we are staunch supporters of the written word.

Our Celebrating Arabic Reading initiative with Google aims to encourage more people to read, and try out Arabic e-books. Smartphones and tablets are increasingly a part of our daily lives, so it makes perfect sense to promote reading on these new platforms as well. People are hungry for content, especially Arabic digital content, and there isn’t a smarter investment for the future of this region than providing access to e-books to broaden the horizons of millions.”

Ronan Harris, VP for Large Customer Sales for Google Europe Middle East and Africa said: “Technology has always played a pivotal role in providing people with equal access to information, and empowering them with knowledge. That’s something we’re very passionate about at Google and it’s in line with our core mission here in MENA to help promote and preserve local Arabic content on the web whether it was on YouTube, Search, Maps or Play. Through our collaboration with Emirates, we hope we can make Arabic literature more accessible and enjoyable than ever. There is so much opportunity to build the digital ecosystem here and we’re happy to have partners like Emirates make it happen.”

To showcase the best of Arabic content, Emirates also commissioned the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and the Emirates Literature Foundation to help identify and curate a collection of over 50 Arabic books in the Google Play Books store that will be discounted at 90% off. This curated book collection encompasses a wide variety of bestselling fiction and nonfiction titles such as Rua Falsafia Fel Hekam Wal Forousia and Tell You About My Tribe, as well as children's e-books like Creatures on the Ceiling, Altghrayib Al-Bilaliyah and I Love. 

 Emirates actively supports and sponsors a number of educational and cultural initiatives in the UAE, including the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, which last year attracted over 40,000 participants, 170 writers, thinkers and speakers from 35 countries. The airline also supports literature through its extensive audio-book section on the Emirates entertainment system, ice, as well as engaging author interviews on Emirates World, a popular channel on ice. In addition, Emirates SkyCargo recently carried almost 8 tonnes of books to different parts of the world to support reading.

Internet connectivity and mobile technology has helped cut the information divide in the Arab world. More people than ever own or have access to a digital device, whether it is a tablet, mobile phone or laptop. According to the Mobile Economy Arab States 2015 Report, over 200 million people across the region are subscribed to a mobile device, presenting a unique opportunity to deliver e-book and educational content.

The UAE 2021 Vision and National Agenda includes a direct emphasis on Arabic language literacy. Data from 2014 shows that just under 60% of students are currently at this level in the UAE. By 2021, the UAE is targeting that 90% of students have proficient Arabic literacy skills.

According to UNESCO research, 67% of adults living in Arab States have basic literacy skills, compared to a global average of 82%, underscoring the need for developing local, relevant Arabic content on the web which is central to information knowledge sharing.

Interested?

To find your favourite Arabic book on the Google Play Store

Hashtag: #YearOfReading

CrescentRating launches world's first halal travel glossary

Source: CrescentRating website.

CrescentRating, a specialist on halal tourism, has officially launched the world's first-ever Halal Travel Glossary. The new guide, available in English, is a collection of key terms and expressions related to the US$145 billion halal travel market. The travel sector is expected to be worth US$200 billion by 2020.

The e-book is expected to be of value to organisations involved in tourism, from government agencies to hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions. The Halal Travel Glossary features over 150 terms and expressions related to the halal travel market, with an explanation of each term in the context of lifestyle and travel. Faith-related concepts provide an introduction to the practices and requirements of Muslim travellers.

Future editions of the glossary in other languages are to be expected in the near future. Regular updates will be made to the glossary as the market matures, the company said.

Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of CrescentRating, said in a statement on the company's website: “Embracing the halal travel phenomenon is now a key focus of growth across the industry for both Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and non-OIC destinations.”

“With an increasing number of destinations and services looking to attract Muslim traveller, there is a need to better understand the terms used to describe the market needs and practices related to this segment.”

CrescentRating is committed to launching innovative solutions for the Muslim travel market to cement its position as a major authority on halal tourism. Earlier this year it released the MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2015. Malaysia took the top spot on the list for OIC destinations while Singapore came first for the non-OIC destinations.

The study also revealed that in 2014, this segment was worth US$145 billion with 108 million Muslim travellers representing 10% of the entire tourism economy. This is forecast to grow to 150 million visitors by 2020 and 11% of the market segment with a market value projected to grow to US$200 billion.

At this year’s ATM 2015 in Dubai, CrescentRating launched the first ever global platform to connect the industry to the growing demand for one of the fastest growing sectors in travel. The Muslim Travel Warehouse will provide the tourism sector with a bespoke portfolio of Muslim friendly tour packages, excursions and activities. Over 100 travel agents and tour operators from across the world have signed up as distribution partners for the Muslim Travel Warehouse following the launch.

Interested?

The free downloadable e-book will later be presented as an online resource. Download a copy of the Halal Travel Glossary

Read the Suroor Asia blog post on the MasterCard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2015

Read the Suroor Asia blog post on the Muslim Travel Warehouse

Hashtag: #HalalTravelTerms

Euromonitor unveils top trends for beverages in MENA

Market researcher Euromonitor International is offering an e-book about the top five soft and hot drinks trends in six countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), including in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran.

Source: Euromonitor website.

The MENA region will see 8.6% year-on-year forecast growth in healthy beverage categories compared to 2.9% growth in the carbonates category due to campaigns against sugary drinks led by the respective ministries of health. Key players within the soft and hot drinks market are also being adventurous in terms of packaging innovation, which is driving sales in struggling economies within the region, the research firm said.

Trends highlighted include: 

Healthy drinks have seen increased popularity in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria due to consumers’ interest in healthy lifestyles. Also, with the growing concerns over the quality of tap water in Iran, Euromonitor has seen a growing demand for bottled water. Additionally, low calorie carbonated drinks as well as 'still' drinks are growing as consumers face growing concerns about obesity.

Energy drinks continue to be very popular in markets such as Saudi Arabia due to the ban of alcohol in the country. Euromonitor noted that energy drinks are often seen as a ‘substitute’ leisure drink due to the high caffeine content. 

Packaging in the MENA region is seeing new innovation through product development and environmentally friendly bottle designs. Slim cans, mainly used for ‘trendy’ energy drinks have successfully changed the look of the carbonates market in 2014. Furthermore, Saudi’s growing demand for convenience has led to an increase in demand for impulse single-serve consumption drinks. 

To read more, download the e-book here.