STRATEGIC PLAN FOR HALAL TOURISM BRAND DEVELOPMENT FOR MUSLIM MARKETS IN BANGKOK, THAILAND

Abstract

This research aims to 1) investigate the potentials of Bangkok metropolitan to develop integrated sustainable creative halal tourism 2) create the strategic plan to develop halal tourism in Bangkok. 3) evaluate the implementation of the pilot project of the strategic plan in a community in Bangkok. The research uses mixed research method: qualitative research as the main research while quantitative research as supporting researched. The research instruments are: community study checklists. Tourism resource audit checklists, a structured in-depth interview and focus group form and questionnaires. Qualitative data are collected from 32 key informants from public, private, people and tourist sectors. Data are collected, verified and analyzed with triangulation and content analysis while the quantitative data are collected from 400 respondents belonging to public, private, people and tourist sector, Statistics used to analyze data are: percentage means and standard deviation.

The findings of the research are: 1) Bangkok has outstanding resource and sustainable management potentials as well as people participation and environmental awareness activities potentials. 2) In terms of the Vision, Bangkok will be the World Halal Tourism Hub with 4 positioning brands: brand N°1: River Cruising in Bangkok, Venice of the East, brand N°2: Visit Bangkok, vibrant creative Economy City, brand N°3: Come to Bangkok: World cosmopolitan City to live with people in the peaceful multi-cultural society, brand N°4 visit Bangkok, splendid city of Art and cultural Heritage. 3) The evaluation of the pilot project in Bang Or Mosque Community reveals Tourists' satisfaction of the familiarization Trip, learning Islamic law and way of life while Bang Or Mosque Community are convinced that the Strategic plan's vision provides excellent roadmap for the community to fulfil prospective sustainable halal Tourism development.