Latest news with #ThaiMuslimTradeAssociation
Bangkok Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Thailand urged to woo more Muslim tourists
As Chinese tourist arrivals plunge, the Thai Muslim Trade Association (TMTA) is calling on authorities and the private sector to position Thailand as a Muslim-friendly destination to attract travellers from the global Muslim population. Tourism remains a key driver of Thailand's economy, and China was the top source market for visitors over the past few years. For the first six months of this year, Thailand recorded 16.7 million foreign arrivals, a 4.66% year-on-year dip, with Chinese visitors declining by 34% to 2.26 million, according to the Economics Tourism and Sports Division, Tourism and Sports Ministry. With the Chinese market shrinking, Thailand should strengthen its efforts to attract Muslim travellers, who are often high spenders and tend to travel in family groups, said Marut Mekloy, president of the TMTA. He said there is significant growth potential in products and services catering to Muslim consumers, driven by the rising global Muslim population, which now exceeds 2 billion and continues to expand. Mr Marut said Thailand has five key sectors with high potential for this market: food and beverages, tourism, medicine, cosmetics, and fashion. However, Thailand is not yet a truly Muslim-friendly destination. Prior to the pandemic, Thailand ranked among the top three non-OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) destinations for Muslim travellers. The country has since lost that position due to its inability to meet the needs of Muslim tourists. He cited Japan, where both public and private sectors have taken measures to accommodate Muslim travellers such as providing signs highlighting the availability of halal products and by including halal options on regular menus. In some cases, ingredients are slightly adjusted to exclude non-halal items such as mirin and alcohol-based ingredients. The association plans to launch the Global Muslim-Friendly Hospitality Index, a certification system for hospitality operators that incorporate Muslim-friendly criteria, and it had held discussions about this initiative with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said Mr Marut. Certified hotels would not need separate halal kitchens, but should be able to direct guests to nearby halal dining options. Rooms should also include a qibla indicator to show the direction of prayer. Higher certification levels will translate to stricter requirements, he said. "If the project gains recognition among both hospitality providers and Muslim travellers worldwide, it could significantly boost Thailand's tourism," said Mr Marut. He said with government backing and promotion among hospitality operators, there will be more development of more Muslim-friendly products and services.
Bangkok Post
5 days ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
Association urges sector to woo Muslim market
As Chinese tourist arrivals plunge, the Thai Muslim Trade Association (TMTA) is calling on authorities and the private sector to position Thailand as a Muslim-friendly destination to attract travellers from the global Muslim population. Tourism remains a key driver of Thailand's economy, and China was the top source market for visitors over the past few years. For the first six months of this year, Thailand recorded 16.7 million foreign arrivals, a 4.66% year-on-year dip, with Chinese visitors declining by 34% to 2.26 million, according to the Economics Tourism and Sports Division, Tourism and Sports Ministry. With the Chinese market shrinking, Thailand should strengthen its efforts to attract Muslim travellers, who are often high spenders and tend to travel in family groups, said Marut Mekloy, president of the TMTA. He said there is significant growth potential in products and services catering to Muslim consumers, driven by the rising global Muslim population, which now exceeds 2 billion and continues to expand. Mr Marut said Thailand has five key sectors with high potential for this market: food and beverages, tourism, medicine, cosmetics, and fashion. However, Thailand is not yet a truly Muslim-friendly destination. Prior to the pandemic, Thailand ranked among the top three non-OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) destinations for Muslim travellers. The country has since lost that position due to its inability to meet the needs of Muslim tourists. He cited Japan, where both public and private sectors have taken measures to accommodate Muslim travellers such as providing signs highlighting the availability of halal products and by including halal options on regular menus. In some cases, ingredients are slightly adjusted to exclude non-halal items such as mirin and alcohol-based ingredients. The association plans to launch the Global Muslim-Friendly Hospitality Index, a certification system for hospitality operators that incorporate Muslim-friendly criteria, and it had held discussions about this initiative with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said Mr Marut. Certified hotels would not need separate halal kitchens, but should be able to direct guests to nearby halal dining options. Rooms should also include a qibla indicator to show the direction of prayer. Higher certification levels will translate to stricter requirements, he said. "If the project gains recognition among both hospitality providers and Muslim travellers worldwide, it could significantly boost Thailand's tourism," said Mr Marut. He said with government backing and promotion among hospitality operators, there will be more development of more Muslim-friendly products and services.
Bangkok Post
7 days ago
- Business
- Bangkok Post
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."
