MANILA, 17 June 2025: Megaworld Hotels & Resorts, the Philippines’ largest hotel developer and operator, wins the ‘Muslim-Friendly Hotel Chain’ award at the CrescentRating, Halal in Travel Awards 2025 held in Singapore last week.
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.
In her acceptance speech, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts Managing Director Cleofe Albiso 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.”
Every year, CrescentRating recognises organisations, individuals, and corporations that have 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 travellers through research, insights, and strategic guidance.
Beyond Halal in Travel
Under the leadership of Philippine Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the Department of Tourism (DOT) actively promoted Halal and Muslim-friendly tourism by issuing a Memorandum Circular 2024-003 in April on the amended guidelines governing the operations and recognition of Muslim-friendly accommodation establishments.
The DOT and Megaworld Hotels & Resorts also signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. In just nine months, all 13 MHR properties were officially recognised as 100% Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Establishments (MFAE), making MHR the first hotel group in the Philippines to achieve this milestone in record time.
