Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, the Philippines’ largest hotel developer and operator, has been hailed the Philippines’ first-ever ‘Muslim-Friendly Hotel Chain’ by CrescentRating, the world’s leading authority on halal-friendly travel, at the Halal in Travel Awards 2025 in Singapore.
Megaworld Hotels & Resorts’ Managing Director, Cleofe Albiso, and Group General Manager, Arturo Boncato Jr., accepting the Muslim-Friendly Hotel Chain of the Year Award in Singapore joined by Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar, Undersecretary of Department of Tourism –Philippines, and Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of Crescent Rating and HalalTrip.
The recognition, which was awarded by CrescentRating for the first time, highlights the group’s initiatives in embracing diversity and promoting inclusive travel by creating safe spaces with services that cater to the evolving needs of Muslim guests.
“We congratulate all the men and women of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts for this remarkable milestone, most especially in taking a bolder step in achieving our company’s thrust on inclusivity and cultural diversity across our townships,” says Lourdes Gutierrez-Alfonso, President of Megaworld Corporation.
In her acceptance speech, Cleofe Albiso, Managing Director of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, expressed deep gratitude for the recognition and highlighted the group’s vision of inclusive hospitality: “This milestone is more than an award. It reflects the Philippines’ growing spirit of openness, learning, and cultural harmony. It is our heartfelt invitation to our Muslim brothers and sisters around the world—to make the Philippines, Asia’s Pearl of the Orient, your next home away from home.”
Six properties of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts—Kingsford Hotel Manila, Grand Westside Hotel, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, Savoy Hotel Boracay, Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, and Belmont Hotel Mactan—have Halal kitchens certified by the Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines (HICCIP).
“As we celebrate this moment, we are reminded that inclusion is not an endpoint—it is a continuous path of learning, listening, and improving. We know there is still more to do, and we embrace that with open hearts and renewed purpose. We will continue to ensure that peaceful and restful stays are wrapped in the warmth of Filipino hospitality—the kind the world has come to cherish, and our Muslim travelers can call their own, and the kind we call the Sampaguita Brand of service excellence,” she added.
Every year, CrescentRating recognizes efforts focused on promoting and enriching halal travel as part of its broader mission to empower the global tourism industry to better understand and meet the needs of Muslim travelers through research, insights, and strategic guidance. The recognition given to Megaworld Hotels & Resorts builds on the Philippines’ recent recognition as an ‘Emerging Muslim-Friendly Destination’ during the past two years, which also reinforces the country’s growing role in halal tourism. This momentum is aligned with the national government’s National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) 2023–2028, which identifies halal tourism as a priority product.
All Muslim-friendly rooms of Megaworld Hotels & Resorts are equipped with prayer mats, Qibla markers, and Quran.
“It is really encouraging to see how the Philippines has focused on developing the infrastructure, the capacity, and the capability to welcome Muslim travelers. The outcome of these is what we see in Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, how the bigger brands in the Philippines have embraced the Muslim travel market. It is really great to see a hotel chain having 13 properties that are Muslim-friendly,” said Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of Crescent Rating and HalalTrip.
Under the leadership of Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the Department of Tourism (DOT) actively promoted Halal and Muslim-friendly tourism, issuing Memorandum Circular 2024-003 or the Amended Guidelines Governing the Operations and Recognition of Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Establishments on April 16, 2024—further strengthening the agency’s commitment to inclusive tourism.
A portion of Cove 2 in Boracay Newcoast was transformed into a dedicated Muslim-friendly zone.
Soon after, the DOT and Megaworld Hotels & Resorts signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. In just nine months, all 13 MHR properties were officially recognized as 100% Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Establishments (MFAE), making MHR the first hotel group in the Philippines to achieve this milestone in record time.
In light of this achievement, Secretary Frasco expressed her heartfelt congratulations:
“Megaworld Hotels & Resorts has been a steadfast partner of the Department of Tourism in advancing inclusive and culturally sensitive tourism. We congratulate them on this historic recognition as the first-ever Muslim-Friendly Hotel Chain by CrescentRating—an achievement that reflects both their commitment to innovation and their embrace of the Filipino brand of hospitality. This milestone reinforces our shared vision of making the Philippines a home for all travelers, especially our Muslim brothers and sisters around the world,” Secretary Frasco said.
Complementing its accommodations, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts also ensures halal-certified kitchens in six of its hotels—Kingsford Hotel Manila, Grand Westside Hotel, Hotel Lucky Chinatown, Savoy Hotel Boracay, Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, and Belmont Hotel Mactan. Each of these facilities is certified by the Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines (HICCIP).
Moreover, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, in partnership with the DOT and the local government of Malay, Aklan, launched Marhaba Boracay, a pioneering project that transformed a 300-meter stretch of white sand beach at Cove 2 in Boracay Newcoast into a dedicated Muslim-friendly zone, complete with family-oriented amenities and private spaces thoughtfully designed for Muslim women and children.
Megaworld Hotels & Resorts’ dedication to cultural sensitivity and inclusive service, which is also highlighted through its signature Sampaguita brand of hospitality, reflects a meaningful response to the evolving expectations of global travelers and a vision for a more welcoming world.
These strategic efforts have resulted in notable growth for Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, with the group recording a 40% surge in Muslim guest stays and a 58% increase in revenue from January to March 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. India, Indonesia, and Malaysia emerged as the group’s leading Muslim source markets.
Cleofe Albiso (middle) holding the Muslim-Friendly Hotel Chain of the Year Award for Megaworld Hotels & Resorts with Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar, Undersecretary of Department of Tourism, and Arturo Boncato Jr.
Below is the full list of awardees at the recent Halal In Travel Awards 2025:
Halal Lifestyle Personalities of the Year
Halal Travel Personality of the Year – Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar
Halal Travel Influencer of the Year – Hassan Bulbul
Halal Travel Scholar of the Year – Dr. Nurhafihz Noor
HalalTrip Travelers Choice Awards
Halal Travel Marketing Campaign of the Year – Switzerland Tourism
Muslim Women-friendly City Destination of the Year – Taipei City Government
Muslim-Friendly Service Provider Awards
Muslim-friendly Hotel Chain of the Year – Megaworld Hotels & Resorts
Muslim-friendly Hotel of the Year – The Mira Hong Kong
Muslim-friendly Hotel of the Year – Kowloon Shangri-La Hong Kong
Muslim-friendly Attraction of the Year – Ngong Ping 360 Limited
Outstanding Contribution to Hong Kong’s Halal Dining Landscape – Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong
Muslim-friendly Restaurant Chain of the Year – Mohd Chan Group Berhad
GMTI Awards
Top Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year – Malaysia
Top Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year (non-OIC) – Singapore
Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year – Hong Kong
