08 | JULY-AUGUST 2022

BY FATIHAH MANAF

TOURIST destination will be incomplete without a place where one can relax their mind and body . An essential component in the tourism industry , a spa serves as a sanctuary where one can escape the hustle and bustle of life . Going to spas allows people to pamper their body and soul , letting them experience a short but much-needed break .

“ There is this one quote I like , where it says : A human being has two basic needs . One is a spiritual need fulfilled through belief or faith in God . The second is a physical need , which is met by using our resources best . At a spa , you get both ,” shared Hana Halim , the President of the Association of Malaysian Spas ( AMSpa ).

AMSpa is a national spa association formed as a cohesive body to nurture , develop , and move Malaysia ’ s spa industry forward . Recognised by the Ministry of Tourism , Arts and Culture Malaysia ( MOTAC ), the association ensures that its members uphold standards and professionalism at all times . According to Hana , the association sees the potential for Muslim-friendly spas ( MFS ) to operate in Malaysia . She said the Islamic Tourism Centre ( ITC ) made a good decision by zooming into the Muslim tourist market .

“ There were 5.3 million Muslim tourist arrivals in Malaysia in 2019 . That ’ s a lot and more than enough for us to target . Based on this figure , I feel the potential and opportunity for the Muslim tourist market to boost tourism recovery , even in the spa industry .

“ The growth will be exponential , especially with the efforts we are making right now to accredit MFS ,” she said .

Working closely with ITC , Hana shared that AMSpa contributed some inputs in setting up the criteria for MFS . The association provided the industry ' s point of view on the requirements for a spa that will be suitable for Muslim clients .

" That ' s how our journey began . ITC included us in the discussions for MFS from the beginning . We felt included and wanted to promote it together with ITC ," said Hana .

PAINTING A CLEAN IMAGE OF THE SPA INDUSTRY

Unfortunately , as much as the players strive hard to maintain the excellent image of the spa industry , some people still associate it with unlawful activities and funny businesses . Whilst the portion of irresponsible spa operators is relatively small , it gives a long-lived bad impression to the whole spa industry up to this day .

“ There is a need for the Muslim-Friendly branding . The problem with the spa industry is we are often associated with this awful image of unlawful activities - or often refer as hanky panky . The issue may arise when male clients go to a spa and get female therapists to massage them . The situation opens room for illegitimate activities to happen .

“ Therefore , adopting Muslim-friendly branding will ensure the public that the spa industry is clean and free from unlawful activities . The benefit of adopting it is not just about sales and revenue .

“ Implementing MFS helps to show that the industry is clean and minimises the possibility of sexual harassment , which has plagued our industry for a long time . It is also one of the reasons why we are the first to close and last to open during the movement control order ( MCO ).

“ Thus , we need help from the media , MOTAC , ITC and other agencies to get this message to the public . Our industry is clean and legitimate .”

RESPONSE FROM AMSPA MEMBERS

Hana said some AMSpa members were still unaware of MFS since it had yet to be announced by the association . Many non-Muslim operators still found themselves so unfamiliar with the requirements of MFS .

“ There ’ s a lot of education that needs to be done . However , it must be done in a very nice manner . We cannot assume that everybody knows the role of MFS and its requirements .

“ Nevertheless , the responses from the people who want to implement it are good and encouraging . Those who are already female-only spas will automatically apply for MFS .”

Elaborating on the acceptance of the MFS by spa operators , Hana commented that sometimes the good spas were not the easiest to accept the idea as they were so used to having female therapists .

“ One of the most critical requirements for MFS is having the same gender for the therapist and the client . I need to see who is open for male therapists ; that is my first challenge .

“ The hardest part would be implementing it in hotels and foot massage centres . However , I ’ m very positive about foot massage centres because they are the ones who are willing to hire male therapists .”

Hana pointed out the enormous gap between spas and foot massage centres , saying that for MFS to happen , it would need to be applied across the board .

“ The Muslim visitors , especially from the middle east , come from different socioeconomic backgrounds . Some people prefer to go to a more affordable massage centre compared to spas . So , we need to implement it across the board .”

AN INCLUSIVE BUSINESS MODEL

Hana noted that most spa operators feared that they would lose the existing market as MFS was too niche - targeting only Muslim clients .

“ We had this discussion with ITC . In my understanding , if we ’ re implementing MFS , we offer the facility but do not impose it . So , we provide options to Muslim clients .

“ In pushing for MFS , we must create the demand for it . Right now , the public is more aggressive in asking for Muslim-friendly facilities . However , MFS is not just about having segregated areas for females and males ; there are other Muslim requirements that we should also address .”

Regarding the business model , Hana highlighted that spa operators might consider taking Shariah-compliant financing . She shared that she ’ s raising funds for her future franchise through ETHIS , a Shariah-compliant fundraising company .

“ My business partner is Chinese . He listed all the fundraising companies and venture capitals and said he liked ETHIS and its transparency . Plus , the charge was reasonable . Due to this , he suggested converting our franchise to a Muslim-Friendly franchise .”

GIVING CLARITY ON ISLAMIC VALUES

Hana opined that MFS allowed Muslim spa operators to provide clarity on Islamic teaching and values . Instead of giving Muslims the feeling of entitlement , the practice will enable people to

respect each other ’ s beliefs and requirements , creating a more harmonious industry .

“ The more we educate about MFS , the more people know about the religion . Some non-Muslims might not know about some of the Muslim requirements . MFS can provide clarity to it .”

By adopting MFS , she said spa operators would not only look from the perspective of Muslim customers but also their Muslim staff . These customers will understand Muslim therapists ’ requirements , allowing them to have prayer breaks between the sessions .

“ I find this a good opportunity to not just educate about Islamic values , but also to let them understand the requirements . Not that we say we are entitled to have such requirements known , but people who want to learn can learn about it . It makes the values more publicly communicated .”

Hana believed that MFS would also let people know that Islam is a religion that promotes health and wellness .

VALUES BROUGHT BY MUSLIM-FRIENDLY SPAS

Known as an industry with the best hospitality , MFS helps emphasise its value-added services by giving related parties a sense of safety and security . Requiring the spa operators only to use halal ingredients and non-animal products , Hana shared that those who implement MFS at their facilities would only use products that are not harmful to the skin .

“ Additionally , adopting MFS gives assurance in the sense of safety and security because it has designated sections for males and females . It brings the image of a family spa .

“ Parents will not be as worried when their children want to be spa therapists . Luckily now , more female-only spas are open for internship . Previously , there was not so much .

“ We need more manpower , and adopting MFS will assure parents and helps the industry to get more skilled talents , especially among youth . It will also promote the career of male spa therapists .”

Hana highlighted that Islam urged its people to be kind to the environment . As spa operators implement MFS at their facilities , they will also consider other factors that adhere to Islamic values . In this case , Hana said : “ We try to reduce waste and dispose of our used oil properly . One of the members of AMSpa , Four Seasons , recycles their leftover oil and uses them to light candles or oil lamps . They smell good .”

Hana said that AMSpa had not yet started promoting MFS widely . However , they planned to utilise their social media and website to highlight spas with Muslim-Friendly facilities .

“ The aim is to spread awareness of the availability of Muslim-Friendly facilities ,” she highlighted . — R & R