Aerial shot of Khanh Hoa Province, located in South Central Vietnam, home of the popular beach getaway of Nha Trang. (Vietnam National Authority of Tourism)
Vietnam is looking to strengthen its foothold in the global Halal tourism market, with government officials and industry leaders highlighting new opportunities to attract more Muslim travellers during a conference in the central province of Khanh Hoa on July 8.
The event, themed “Vietnam: A New Destination of Halal Tourism”, brought together representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Khanh Hoa People’s Committee to discuss strategies for developing Halal-friendly tourism and related industries.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang said Vietnam offers strong tourism assets, including its rich cultural heritage, diverse natural landscapes, distinctive cuisine and strategic location connecting Southeast Asia with Northeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. Despite these advantages, she noted that Halal tourism remains underdeveloped.
Last year, Vietnam welcomed around 21 million international visitors, but only over 600,000 were Muslim travellers, accounting for nearly 3% of total arrivals. She said the Halal tourism market continues to expand globally, fuelled by a Muslim population of more than two billion across over 100 countries and territories.
Senior adviser to Halal Hub Vietnam Dr H. Zuraimi Jumaat said the country is well positioned to build on its strengths in agriculture, seafood, food processing and tourism. Expanding Halal-certified products alongside Muslim-friendly tourism services would help raise Vietnam’s profile as a destination for global Muslim travellers, he added.
Meanwhile, Khanh Hoa province is encouraging investment in Halal-compliant hotels, restaurants and resorts while developing specialised tourism products, including wellness, golf, MICE, Cham cultural experiences and ecotourism, to diversify its international visitor market.
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