With the world’s fastest-growing population, it is estimated that by 2030, there will be approximately 2.2 billion Muslims, or around 30% of the global population. The global Halal economy, which caters to the needs of Muslim consumers (food, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fashion, logistics, healthcare, tourism, etc.), is expected to reach $3.2 trillion by 2024 and will likely grow to around $10 trillion by 2030.

The increase in the Muslim population, especially the growing middle class, has led to a boom in demand for tourism. In 2022, Muslim spending on tourism was around $133 billion, and this is expected to rise to $330 billion by 2030. Gulf countries are among the largest spenders on tourism.

Source: Global Islamic Economy Report

In 2023, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Turkey were the five most popular Muslim-majority countries chosen by Muslim travellers. Meanwhile, the five non-Muslim countries/territories that welcomed the most Muslim tourists were Singapore, Taiwan (China), Hong Kong (China), and Thailand.

According to a report released on May 21, 2024, by the World Economic Forum (WEF), Vietnam ranked 59th out of 119 countries/territories for global tourism development capability, and 5th in ASEAN, following Singapore (ranked 13), Indonesia (22), Malaysia (35), and Thailand (47). Although Vietnam’s ranking for global tourism development is not far behind Thailand, it does not appear among the countries with a high number of Muslim tourists.

Regarding this issue, ambassadors from the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) countries mentioned that one of the main reasons for this is the lack of facilities catering to Muslim needs in Vietnam. It is known that there are only five restaurants in Hanoi with Halal certification. Vietnam’s cuisine is diverse and rich, and it’s not difficult to create Vietnamese dishes that meet Halal standards. We’ve tasted stir-fried water spinach with dried fish, a very Vietnamese dish, at a Halal-certified restaurant in Hanoi. However, the number of five Halal-certified restaurants is far too few compared to the needs of the local Muslim community as well as Muslim visitors and workers in Hanoi.

Halal Tourism, or Muslim-friendly tourism, refers to the tourism sector designed to cater to Muslim travelers. In addition to religious pilgrimages (especially to the holy city of Mecca), Muslim-friendly tourism addresses various needs, including leisure travel, healthcare, cultural exploration, eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism. Vietnam can fully meet most of these needs.

In addition to the general requirements for tourism services, Muslim-friendly tourism must meet certain specific needs for Muslim visitors regarding accommodations, tours, and guides. Some basic requirements include:

Accommodations: Hotels and other accommodations must be clean, safe, and provide comfort and peace of mind for Muslim guests. Rooms should be of a certain size, with the direction towards Mecca indicated, and Qur’an books and prayer mats provided upon request. Hotels should also provide accurate times for prayer throughout the day. Alcohol and inappropriate items (such as pornographic materials) should not be present in the rooms. If the hotel has a swimming pool or gym, facilities should be gender-separated (perhaps with specific hours dedicated to women). The hotel should have Halal-certified restaurants or the ability to offer Halal food (if the hotel does not have its own Halal restaurant, it can partner with nearby Halal-certified restaurants to provide food and beverages). During Ramadan, it is essential to provide meals before dawn (before sunrise) and Iftar meals (a light meal after sunset). If possible, the hotel should also have a designated prayer space, particularly during Ramadan.

Staff Training: Staff at hotels, travel agencies, or tour guides must be trained on basic etiquette when interacting with Muslims, including appropriate dress codes and respectful attitudes toward guests.

Tour Programs: Travel agencies need to be aware of Muslim-specific needs when designing travel programs and selecting destinations. It is important to avoid visiting places that sell or display haram products, religious sites not related to Islam, or entertainment venues that may have inappropriate content, such as pornography. The travel itinerary must also account for prayer times during the day.

Establishing and implementing standards to meet these requirements is expected to give a boost to Vietnamese tourism and travel businesses by adding value to their products and attracting travellers from the Middle East and Muslim-majority countries. This will contribute to the development of Vietnam’s Halal sector.

Tran Quoc Dung, Director of the Vietnam Certification Center