Interactions between Muslim attendees and non-Muslim staff : a study of the Islamic MICE market in Thailand

This chapter examines the perspectives of non-Muslim Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) staff and Muslim customers in Southern Thailand. More specifically, the chapter focuses on the views of Buddhist 'MICE' workers and Islamic clientele in three venues in the MICE sector in Southern Thailand on the demands of Muslim customers. This study seeks to identify what industry representatives understand about Muslim customers and their needs, and to analyse varying degrees of Islamic religiosity, which influence expectations for and understandings of Islamic hospitality services and facilities. It concludes by discussing these issues by utilising content analysis. The findings reveal that while understanding also varied amongst Muslim clientele, generally the significance of Islam to Muslim clients' lives was well recognised and respected. Opinions were varied though as to how well the industry could accommodate a range of Muslim-friendly services. With regard to client needs, it seems that local Muslims may have been influenced by their positioning as a minority in Thailand and wanting to create an environment which is visibly Islamic. On the other hand, visitors to Thailand, knowing it is not a Muslim country, were perhaps happier to accept a change of environment and the differences that comes with that. This is further explored in this chapter.