T.S. Family Group revealed that it sees potential in the halal hotel market and is investing THB1 billion to promote its Al Meroz Hotel, the country’s first four-star halal property. The newly opened property is located in Bangkok’s Ramkhamhaeng area and could be the first of many halal-friendly accommodations in the country.
The company is hoping that wealthy Muslim tourists are encouraged to choose the new property instead of other hotels that are not completely halal. Al Meroz Hotel has 242 rooms and was opened in November of 2015. At the moment, average occupancy rates are 65 percent with a mixture of guests coming from Europe and Asia
Rausak Mulsap, president and chief executive of T.S. Family Group, explained to The Bangkok Post that the company saw potential to enlarge the halal hotel segment which doesn’t exist in Bangkok at the moment. The company’s campaign aims to show that Thailand is a Muslim-friendly destination. People of the Islamic faith make up 22 percent of the global population.
T.S. Family Group is targeting to reach an occupancy rate of at least 70 percent by year’s end. The next step for the company is to promote the hotel abroad with the Muslim populations of Europe, China and the Middle East being the primary focus, the Bangkok Post noted. Rausak added that T.S. Family Group is interested in forming a joint venture with Muslim investors to develop hotels in resort destinations like Pattaya and Hua Hin some time in the next few years.
The company has traveled to a number of big travel shows recently and will be attending several others in Europe and Middle East. The Bangkok Post added that the hotel also plans to join the roadshow organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Eastern Europe and will work closely with the Association of Thai Travel Agents to introduce its hotel to Muslims in China.
It was also pointed out by Rausak that the concept of halal hotels like Al Meroz Hotel goes beyond serving food with halal certification. The entire property provides a Muslim-friendly environment catering to religious needs, safety and hygiene.
