Photo: Bao Quang Ninh

Great potential ahead

According to the Global Muslim Travel Index, the Halal tourism market has big potential as 23% of the population are Muslims. International Muslim tourists are estimated to increase from 108 million in 2013 to 160 million in 2019 (before the Covid-19 pandemic). By 2030, tourism spending from the Halal market will be forecast to reach USD 341.1 billion/year. With such potential, countries such as Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and the UK have recently been attempting to attract Muslim tourists, considering this as a market to restore and develop tourism.

According to the Vietnam National Tourism Administration's assessment, the Halal tourism market is concentrated in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the South Pacific, especially countries with a high percentage of Muslim population such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Turkey. For many years now, tourists from Muslim countries to Vietnam have increased significantly. The number of Indian tourists is growing strongly with a 240% increase in September 2023, compared to the same period last year. Visitors from Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore and Indonesia also increased.

Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration Ha Van Sieu said that the Halal market brings promising opportunities for Vietnam tourism, and is a "golden chance" that can create momentum for the whole tourism industry.

Acknowledging the potential of the Halal market, since 2022, Vietnam has conducted many tourism investment promotion conferences in the Middle East and South Asia region. Many workshops on Halal tourism are organized in localities to offer solutions to effectively and sustainably attract tourists. Provinces such as Quang Ninh, Da Nang, Quang Nam, and Kien Giang have planned to welcome Muslim visitors from potential countries such as India, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Professional preparation needed

While many projects have been deployed, Vietnam still has limitations in attracting Muslim tourists, namely the lack of understanding about their habits and facilities and services to serve their needs. According to the General Director of Hanoi Tourism Investment Joint Stock Company (Hanoi Tourism) Nhu Thi Ngan, Vietnam lacks connection and cooperation with Halal organizations and businesses, while most of the country's products and services, including cuisine, do not have Halal certification.

To effectively exploit this potential market, Deputy Managing Director of Hanoi Daewoo Hotel Sunny Ghaiee said Vietnamese localities should hold training programs on services for restaurants and accommodation establishments so that they have knowledge and skills to serve Muslim customers.

According to the Director of the Vietnam National Tourism Administration Nguyen Trung Khanh, in addition to continuing to attract tourists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and India, businesses need to focus on the Middle East region, home to many Muslim countries and high-spending tourists. Khanh added that prayer rooms should also be built in public areas, restaurants, hotels, and entertainment locations.

Hanoi can also benefit from the Halal tourism market as the number of Indian, Malaysian, and Singaporean tourists to the capital has increased sharply. Director of Hanoi Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said many hotels and restaurants have recently built Halal menus for Muslim guests. The Department has also instructed tourism establishments to develop services, train staff and invest in advertisement activities to introduce themselves to Muslim customers.

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