07-07-2025
Rekindling fading Halal hub hopes
Thai veterinarian Ninareeman Binnima has often heard from among foreign Muslim business people that they can hardly find Halal restaurants at either Suvarnabhumi or Don Mueang airports in Bangkok.
"One time an acquaintance had to ask Muslim staff in the airport, so they were taken to eat at a staff canteen instead.
"This is not good for the image of Thailand among Muslim tourists at all," she said.
Seeing the gaps in the Muslim tourist inbound market in Thailand, Ms Ninareeman has been working on launching a Muslim-friendly ranking certification, on behalf of the non-government and non-profit Thai Muslim Trade Association (TMTA), for hotels in Thailand aiming to draw travellers from the Muslim world.
The pilot project kicked off at the Rembrandt hotel in downtown Bangkok.
"A Muslim-friendly hotel is different from a Halal hotel in that it is more flexible. Business owners can choose according to the capability of the outlet, and can meet the needs of both Muslim and non-Muslim guests.
"If it is a Halal hotel, restaurants can't have prohibited items such as pork and alcohol. However, Muslim friendly hotels can still have alcohol and offer pork menus, but there must be a system that clearly separates the services and other customer facilities.
"This way it is easier for hotels in Thailand to follow, which are mostly managed by non-Muslims," she said.
MUSLIM-FRIENDLY CERTIFIED
In June, the Rembrandt hotel was certified as a level-two Muslim-friendly hotel by the TMTA, the first hotel in Thailand to have collaborated with TMTA.
The certification is called the Global Muslim Friendly Hospitality Index. There are three levels of certification, and the hotel expects to attain it once certain regulations and practices are in place by August.
"Level 2 certification places strong emphasis on Muslim-friendly tourist recommendations, ensuring our guests can enjoy curated cultural, family-friendly, and religiously respectful experiences in Bangkok," said Zaki Baz, Group CEO of Rembrandt Asset Management and CEO of Rembrandt Hotels Corporation.
The hotel has been making a few changes in recent months including installing a separate Halal kitchen and staff training.
"We've integrated Muslim-conscious services into our operations. Arabic-speaking staff are available at the hotels, and our restaurants are supervised by a Muslim chefs, ensuring Halal practices are followed.
"Our concierge team offers personalised assistance with Muslim-friendly sightseeing, shopping, and dining recommendations," said Mr Baz.
The F&B division is working towards full Halal compliance under Level 3, reflecting its dedication to hospitality excellence across all guest preferences.
"We have invested in developing a separate Halal kitchen system to ensure zero cross-contamination, especially regarding pork-related items."
A RISING DESTINATION
Launched last year, Thailand's four-year plan of becoming an Asean Halal hub by 2027 is well on its way to increasing GDP in the industrial sector by 1.2 percent, or 55 billion baht, and generating 100,000 jobs each year.
Halal products spanning food, fashion, medicine, cosmetics, and services and tourism are promoted under the 2024-2027 Halal hub action plan.
On the ground, however, there are still challenges, said Fuad Gunsun, TMTA's vice president.
"Taiwan and Hong Kong are strong contenders for the most favourite non-OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) destinations," he said.
"Thailand is ranked lower in the CrescentRating compared to those places because they really cater to Muslim travellers. The reviews, the guided routes and services are competitive."
Mr Fuad said hotels in Thailand play a major role in whether Thailand is considered a Muslim-friendly destination and it all lies in the service details.
"Hotels are often booked along with breakfast. But for Muslim travellers, the Halal breakfast options are often missing."
CrescentRating is a Singapore-based independent rating and accreditation service that assesses the Halal-friendliness of travel and tourism services. Its 2025 report, out in June, ranks Thailand as the rising Muslim-friendly non-OIC destination.
"The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has introduced Muslim visitor guides for cities like Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai, highlighting Halal dining, prayer spaces, and inclusive stays," says the report.
Leading Muslim-friendly Non-OIC destinations are Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Taiwan. Taiwan is praised for having "Prayer rooms available at major transport hubs and tourist sites, enhancing the Muslim travel experience".
The report notes Hong Kong's "diverse dining options", with over 60 outlets have earned Muslim-friendly accreditation from CrescentRating, while more than 180 restaurants have achieved Halal certification from the Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong.
There were an estimated 176 million international Muslim visitors in 2024, a 10% increase over pre-pandemic levels, Fazal Bahardeen, Founder & CEO of CrescentRating, notes in the report.
"Projections indicate that this market will grow to 245 million arrivals by 2030, with an estimated expenditure of US4235 billion."
