Recently, in Sa Pa town, Lao Cai province, Charm Sapa hotel has established and announced a place to stay and serve Halal food for Muslim tourists . This is the first place in Lao Cai province to implement a program to transform some services towards being friendly to Muslims (Halal) in accordance with the standard procedures of the International Halal Accreditation Agencies - MUI, JAKIM, GCC.
Mr. Tran Van Tan Cuong, Director of Vietnam National Halal Company, said that from September 2023, Vietnam National Halal Company will conduct an assessment of the potential for developing Islamic tourism in Sa Pa and survey the conditions of accommodation facilities here.
Realizing that Charm Sa Pa Hotel has all the appropriate conditions, we have cooperated and consulted so that this hotel can initially transform some of its current services to better serve Muslim guests when they travel to Sa Pa.
After a period of focusing on training hotel managers and staff on the process of serving Muslim guests, behavioral skills, and basic knowledge of Halal food, experts from Vietnam National Halal Company also advised Charm Hotel to convert some functions of the hotel such as rooms serving Muslim guests, adding a communal prayer room, arranging a dining area and kitchen specifically for Muslim guests, dedicating walkways, elevators, breakfast areas, lobby and reception areas... with separate signs in English and Arabic so that guests can easily access the services.
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| Muslim tourists experience the unique culture and cuisine of the Northwest. (Source: Lao Cai Department of Tourism) |
In addition to the hotel's existing products, Vietnam National Halal Company also invited Halal culinary experts and Muslim guests to experience, evaluate and advise the hotel on the supply of Halal food, how to combine the rich source of specialty food ingredients of Sa Pa and Northwest Vietnam with traditional dishes of Muslim countries in South Asia such as Pakistan, India and the Middle East, creating a Halal culinary picture in the Northwest that is both rich, attractive and friendly to Muslims.
Some experts also support Charm Sa Pa Hotel to create new products to enrich the enjoyment schedule of tourists during the wonderful days of traveling in Sa Pa - Lao Cai: such as Halal buffet, Halal cake and tea party, welcoming Muslim guests in the style of the Northwest people, discovering the quintessence of the Northwest - the flavor of Lao Cai through multicultural journeys, imbued with national identity in the fairyland - the meeting place of heaven and earth. All aim to create an unforgettable impression in the hearts of Muslim tourists about the beauty of the country and people of Vietnam, which is majestic, beautiful, rich, friendly and hospitable.
According to Ms. Do Thi Thanh Tam, CEO of Sapa Hills Tourism Joint Stock Company, the hotel has previously received Muslim guests but there are still many things that are not really reassuring because all of them have not been professionally trained. Realizing that Muslim guests coming to Sa Pa are increasing in number, booking a lot of rooms at Charm, demanding food and some suitable living amenities, the managers are struggling to find a standard method.
Currently, with the consultation and service of Vietnam National Halal Company, Charm Hotel is implementing 2 floors with 25 Muslim-friendly rooms, with prayer rugs, suitable prayer positions, robes for women and other suitable living conditions for guests. The community prayer room on the 6th floor is always open 24/7 for all Muslim guests traveling or working in Sa Pa.
The Halal dining area on the 2nd floor can accommodate up to 350 guests, has a Halal kitchen that is inspected and certified, has chefs, kitchen staff, and waiters trained in food preparation and Islamic culture.
“We are planning to prepare weekend parties so that Muslim guests can enjoy suitable meals at our hotel regularly. Muslim dishes are delicious, unique, and a new way of enjoying, bringing an attractive difference to Sa Pa cuisine. In the near future, our hotel will open more spaces for Vietnamese guests and guests from many other countries to enjoy Halal dishes according to standards,” Ms. Tam informed.
According to Mr. Lai Vu Hiep, Deputy Director of Lao Cai Department of Tourism, Charm Sa Pa Hotel is one of the pioneering locations in establishing services for Muslim tourists. At the same time, Lao Cai province has recently signed an agreement with Middle Eastern countries on tourism cooperation and is preparing to welcome Muslim tourists to Sa Pa, Lao Cai. In the coming time, many hotels and resorts in Sa Pa, Lao Cai will be transformed to welcome Muslim tourists.
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| Hotel Management Board and Muslim tourists take souvenir photos to mark the first time experiencing Halal-standard Muslim welcoming service. (Source: Lao Cai Department of Tourism) |
With the motto of "cleaning the nest to welcome the eagles", Lao Cai in general and Sa Pa in particular will be best prepared to welcome high-end tourists, including Muslim tourists. Mr. Hiep also said that the Lao Cai Department of Tourism will coordinate with the Vietnam National Halal Company and some other units to organize the "Islamic Tourism Development" Workshop in Sa Pa around January 2024.
Currently, along with Lao Cai, other provinces and cities across the country are also starting to change the way they target potential customers during the economic recovery period after Covid-19. Instead of exploiting traditional customers from neighboring countries, Asia and Europe, Vietnam has now made changes in creating an Islamic-friendly environment. This is a breakthrough strategy, forecast to change the face of Vietnam's tourism industry to a new page with international quality.
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