Interview by Rui Pastorin
Zam Zam* Restaurant and Bar at Regency Art Hotel has been awarded its halal** certification by the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong, being the newest edition to Macau’s halal-certified restaurants and the only halal-certified restaurant in a hotel in the city.
Macau has reportedly a total of 12 food factories and now six restaurants that are halal-certified, with Zam Zam Restaurant having received their certification in mid-July.
At the certificate presentation ceremony and luncheon hosted at the restaurant yesterday, Regency Art Hotel General Manager Willie Tay highlighted the certification’s importance as Muslims have special dietary requirements, telling the Post that having the certification gives Muslims confidence while also adding convenience. “I think that the more Macau offers, the more it will benefit the tourism industry”.
On how he felt about the restaurant receiving the certificate, Tay said: “I feel great because basically the restaurant is open to everyone, but if we want to welcome more people, be more diversified, the halal certificate will help us open the doors to our Muslim tourists, friends and the local community too”.
Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Acting Director Cheng Wai Tong also told the Post yesterday he thought that halal food and the Muslim tourism segment have “a big potential market, especially for tourism”, with China alone having over 30 million Muslims. The international travel market also has a “big, big” potential for tourism, especially from South East Asia and the Middle-East, he said.
Moreover, with Macau being an international tourism destination, Cheng highlighted that MGTO would like to provide more options to its visitors. In the future, he noted that MGTO also hopes to provide more support or education to local restaurants to let them know more about the certification and how to apply for it, as well as build connections with certified institutions.
* “Zam Zam” is the name of a well in Mecca, Saudi Arabia that is considered sacred in Islam. According to Islamic narratives, the well is a miraculously generated source of water.
**Halal is defined in Wiktionary as fit to eat according to Muslim religious customs.
Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong delivers a speech during yesterday’s Halal Certification Presentation Ceremony at Zam Zam Restaurant and Bar in Taipa.– Photos: Rui Pastorin
Imam Uthman Yang (left) from the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong presents the halal certification to Regency Art Hotel General Manager Willie Tay yesterday at the Zam Zam Restaurant.
