Thailand Smart App Lures Muslim Tourists

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

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BANGKOK – Seeking a larger piece of halal tourism pie, the Thai government has developed a new smartphone app to help Muslim visitors find mosques and halal restaurants in the Asian country.

“This is a very special and historic moment for us, as it marks the launch of a new strategy to more strongly position Thailand as a 'Muslim-friendly' destination," Juthaporn Rerngronasa, Acting Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), told Anadolu Agency on Monday, June 29.

Launched by Thailand tourism authority on Monday, the new app, helps Muslims find mosques, hotels and shopping centers with prayer rooms, and halal restaurants.

Speaking at a press conference to unveil the app, the acting governor said the app can apply to both IOS and android phone systems.

It comes as part of Thailand campaigns to encourage more Muslim tourists to the Asian tourism hub.

The country's tourism industry is still reeling from a disastrous 2014 when a military coup and months of widespread street protests adversely affected the industry.

"We are seeing increasing investor interest in developing halal tourism hotels," Juthaporn added.

"All this is good for us because it will create jobs for our emerging younger generation and promote national inclusiveness and integration."

Thai Muslims make up five percent of the predominantly Buddhist kingdom's population.

Most Muslims live in rural areas not well served with banking products. Muslims make more than 80% of South Thailand population.

Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are the only Muslim-majority provinces in Thailand.

The concept of halal, -- meaning permissible in Arabic -- has traditionally been applied to food.

Muslims should only eat meat from livestock slaughtered by a sharp knife from their necks, and the name of Allah, the Arabic word for God, must be mentioned.

Now other goods and services can also be certified as halal, including cosmetics, clothing, pharmaceuticals and financial services.

Muslim travellers globally are expected to reach $200 billion by 2020, or 13.5 percent of the global total, up from $140 billion in 2013.

A recent study, conducted in 47 countries, found that spending by Muslim tourists is growing faster than the global rate and is forecast to reach $192 billion a year by 2020, up from $126 billion in 2011.

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