SEA Games seen as opportunity for developing halal services

THE Philippine Trade Training Center Global MSME Academy (PTTC-GMEA) said it hopes to step up its halal training activities for the hospitality industry next month, starting with the venue for the Southeast Asian Games.

In an interview with BusinessWorld on Tuesday, PTTC-GMEA Deputy Executive Director Nelly Nita N. Dillera said training on halal-friendly hospitality practices will begin in Clark and Subic.

“We’re fast-tracking it for August or even July, bringing in our partner CrescentRating to conduct training in the Clark and Subic area in order to implement halal tourism,” Ms. Dillera said.

PTTC-GMEA is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with CrescentRating, a Singapore-based Muslim travel authority during Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME) Week which will be organized by PTTC-GMEA on July 8 to 12.

Ms. Dillera said the upcoming 30^th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games this year which will be held in Clark is viewed as an opportunity to expand halal tourism.

“We are hosting the Southeast Asian Games in Clark and most of the participants will be halal-conscious travelers…and I heard there will be around 10,000 (total visitors) where most are halal conscious,” she said, adding that these travelers will not only be looking for halal food but also halal services.

“We’re targeting the training for July or August in preparation for the Southeast Asian Games,” she added.

PTTC-GMEA plans to train around 150 frontline personnel for the SEA Games, targeting those working in airports, hotels, catering, and transportation.

“They are the ones with the first engagements with the halal-conscious people. First we want to inculcate in their minds that these tourists have special needs in terms of food and certain facilities,” she stressed.

Facilities include adequate prayer rooms and directional indicators telling them where to face during prayer.

PTTC-GMEA Executive Director Nestor P. Palabyab told BusinessWorld there is a need to enhance halal tourism in the Philippines, considering the size of the halal-conscious population in Asia.

“Halal is the majority market in the ASEAN region… everyone is doing halal. There should be a market opportunity here in the Philippines,” Mr. Palabyab said. — Gillian M. Cortez