Assessing Muslim travellers' preferences regarding food in Japan using conjoint analysis: An exploratory study on the importance of prayer room availability and halalness

This study investigates the priorities of food preference attributes of Muslim travellers in Japan to identify Muslim consumers' willingness to pay for food at establishments that offer religion-related services and to divide Muslim travellers in Japan into consumer segments. A mixed methods approach combining a questionnaire survey (386 respondents) and semi-structured, in-depth interviews (12 respondents) was employed. Food preference priority attributes were examined using discrete-choice conjoint analysis, while willingness to pay was investigated via the incentive-compatible elicitation of a consumer's reservation price range, commonly known as ICERANGE, procedure. Muslim travellers were segmented via hierarchical clustering. The results indicate that Muslim travellers in Japan prioritise prayer room availability first and halalness second when dining out. Other attributes, which figure less strongly, include access, word of mouth, and price. Muslim travellers in Japan are willing to pay 1.4 to 1.7 times more than the average price of a meal when the establishment also offers a religion-related service such as a prayer room. Moreover, the study identifies four segments of Muslim travellers in Japan: prayer-room oriented, halal-label oriented, low-budget oriented, and high-end oriented. The study's findings offer valuable insights for business owners and managers who seek to target Muslim travellers in Japan.