Muslim Friendly Tourism:
Developing and Marketing MFT Products and Services
In the OIC Member Countries
105
In terms of OTAs the top one used by ASEAN travelers is Agoda, while the rest of the bookings
are through Expedia, and . 275
7. Pricing
Pricing for MFT products and services is on par with mainstream pricing. For Atoning
Princeville Resort and Spa competitors have been lowering their prices because of excess
rooms and the resort needs to stay competitive and have therefore lowered their prices as
well. It is not enough to be Halal to justify for increased pricing.
Prices are determined by market forces and are impacted by factors such as seasonality and
volume rather than by Halal services offered. The Gulf market as well as visitors from high-
income countries such as Brunei usually demand high quality products and services, and are
willing to pay for it. At the other end, Muslim clients from Indonesia and Malaysia tend to be
at the middle-lower scale. Thailand is fortunate to have products and services available to
cater to all these markets.276
8. Challenges
 As a non-Muslim country, the government has to actively educate mainstream travel
industry players on the Muslim culture and the needs of Muslim travelers.
 Many suppliers who serve this market are not certified Halal; the Central Islamic
Committee of Thailand’s (CICOT) list of Halal providers includes few 5 star hotels and
fine dining establishments.
 Attracting Muslim tourists while at the same time appealing to non-Muslims is a
challenge. For a large group of non-Muslim tourists, Thailand is seen as a party
hotspot and it can be difficult to accommodate the needs of both groups of tourists.
The solution is to designate some areas as Muslim-friendly, while leaving others
untouched.
 Another important challenge is managing the brand image. Thailand’s mainstream
tourism marketing message is built entirely around its Buddhist history and
traditions. To create and promote a simultaneous marketing message that also
positions it as a “Muslim-friendly destination” requires a change in mindset, amongst
both the public and private sectors. The Tourism Authority of Thailand certainly
realizes the potential but needs to sustain it with ongoing campaigns and strategies. It
is also working to tap promising source-markets such as Iran and the sizable Muslim
minorities in countries such as China, South Africa and India.277
9. Lessons Learned
 DMOs play a leading role in actively promoting a destination. The Tourism Authority
of Thailand (TAT) has taken the lead in launching promotional campaigns targeting
Muslim travelers.
275 Nattapat Kittayapison, Interview, March, 2016.
276 Imtiaz Muqbil, Interview. April, 2016.
277 Ibid.