POTENTIAL FOR HALAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT THROUGH MUSLIM TOURIST MARKET IN BANGKOK, THAILAND

Abstract

The purposes of this study were: 1.) to explore resources and investigate potential for Halal tourism development through Muslim tourist markets in Bangkok, 2.) analyze an internal and external environment of Halal tourism development through Muslim tourist markets in Bangkok, 3.) to propose guidelines to develop potential for Halal tourism development through Muslim tourist markets in Bangkok. This qualitative research used these instruments: community study checklists, tourism auditing form, and in-depth interview form. There were 4 groups of 32 key informants.  Data were collected through, survey, in-depth interview, participants’ observation, and focus group meetings.  The results showed that 1) the potential of Halal tourism development for the Muslim tourist market in Bangkok, Thailand were as follows:  Factors indicating the potentials of Bangkok's tourism resources were the

potential for accessibility to the area, climatic conditions, and the potential for future facilities development.  Factors indicating potential for sustainable resource management was having a strategic plan to develop sustainable tourism at the international level.  Factors indicating potential for participation of community, tourist, and related parties were economic benefits for people and a distribution of income from tourism.  Factors indicating potential for tourism activities suitable for the area were activities contributing to raising awareness, campaigns for resource awareness of community, tourists, and organizations.  2). The internal and external environment of Halal tourism development through Muslim tourist markets in Bangkok were, for strengths, the location of Bangkok in the center of ASEAN easily accessible and connecting with Muslim Markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Middle East, for weaknesses, lack of strategic plans and sustainable halal tourism development committee, for chance, an increasing Muslim population in the future which was important target for halal tourism, for obstacles, tourism rivals of Bangkok, such as Kuala Lumpur and world’s biological disaster problems such as the COVID-19 pandemic. 3) Guidelines to develop potential for Halal tourism development through Muslim tourist markets in Bangkok was a clear tourism integrated strategic plan in terms of tourism resources, community participation, and creating tourism learning activities suitable for the area.