Diversify your brand’s client base and attract additional Muslim travelers

An interview with HalalZilla, a media platform focusing on the multi-billion dollar Muslim travel market.

We recently sat down with Farhan Isa, editorial writer at HalalZilla, to learn more about their website and the type of content that piques their interest.

Can you share with us a bit more about HalalZilla?

HalalZilla was brought to life in August 2018 and it is the Muslim-friendly arm of TripZilla. TripZilla is a leading online travel media in Southeast Asia that reaches more than 25 million travelers every month.  HalalZilla aims to be the hub for all Muslim-related travel and lifestyle news. Currently, HalalZilla is managed by the four of us: Farhan (Editorial Writer), Sadat (Senior Editor), Nur Sofia (Associate Editor) and Inshirah (Editor & Producer). Our core focus groups are young Muslim explorers, making their own story and finding their place in this world. We are also strong believers in integrating into society instead of segregating, whilst bringing the Muslim community from all around the world a little closer to one another. The decision to start HalalZilla grew stronger as we met businesses who were keen to provide Muslim-friendly services. It was also predicted that the Muslim market is set to be worth over US$200 billion by 2020. Hence, we developed a platform where businesses are able to show forth to the communities that they too are ready for the movement.

What’s unique about HalalZilla and how does it differ from other travel media?

On the surface, HalalZilla may seem to be like any other publication. But we also strive to use our platforms as a means for education, creating awareness of the Muslim lifestyle to those not of the same faith. As such, we prowl for personal stories which shows Muslims from different communities engaging and living their best without being segregated from societies.

What type of news releases are you interested in receiving from companies?

Focusing on Muslim travel and lifestyle, it would be beneficial for us to receive news regarding any companies that are looking to open their business to this market. Be it hotels, F&B businesses and even fashion, we gladly will spread the good word. Since we have readership from across the globe, local businesses need not be left out to share with us their plans on expanding to the Muslim market.

If a B2B company has an event and would like to invite a reporter from HalalZilla to cover the story, what are some of the factors that would interest a reporter to attend the event?

Aligning with our company’s goal, the outcome of the event has to be beneficial to our readership. It would also be a great opportunity for us to meet businesses who have ideas and plans to jump into this uncharted Muslim market. We believe in integrating with existing businesses to grow both our network groups.

Can you provide some tips for PR professionals to take note of when pitching stories to HalalZilla?

PR professionals should highlight the more Muslim-friendly factors of their stories, making it much more transparent for us to convey. Do note that non-muslim products and services would not be of any interest to us.

Are there any exciting upcoming projects or campaigns?

We are in the midst of video production for our How-To-Halal series, a video series which puts across a more educational yet engaging concept. Our goal for this upcoming series is to show the masses that Muslims are just like any other person that you know, they too want to experience what you experience. But within the faith’s boundaries. We would love to work with any businesses who would like to expand their brand into this untapped market and be part of our upcoming campaigns.

Top 5 countries that you want to visit, and why?
My personal top five are Iceland, Greenland, Sweden, South America, and Mongolia. It is a well-known fact that these places are filled with beautiful landscapes and exciting cultures. As a traveler, I personally love to meet the locals in order to understand life as how they see it. Together with my trusty camera, I document my experiences and maybe even make a life-long friend – or two.

What is the best way to reach out to HalalZilla’s editors and when?

Please feel free to reach out to us via email at halalzilla@tripzilla.com, Instagram (@halalzilla), Facebook (@halalzilla) or by phone at +65 6569 5033. We don’t have a specific time as to when we would prefer to receive press releases. However, if the matter at hand is rather urgent, we would prefer to be contacted on weekdays.

About the author:
Stephanie Lau is the Audience Development Executive focusing on the Singapore market at PR Newswire. If you would like to be featured, please get in touch (Stephanie.lau@prnasia.com).