Tour facilities offered incentives until April 7 to go halal

DAVAO CITY—The days leading to April 7 would be an opportunity for establishments to avail themselves of incentives from the Department of Tourism (DOT) in an ongoing campaign to bring in more Muslim tourists through more halal-certified facilities.

Assistant Tourism Secretary Art Boncato said that under the Philippine Halal Tourism Program, the DOT would pay for fees for halal accreditation and help establishments every step of the way if they commit to turn their facilities “Muslim-friendly.”

Boncato, during an orientation seminar for Davao travel establishments, said the program seeks to increase the number of halal-certified and Muslim-friendly travel establishments in the Philippines to entice the growing number of Muslim travelers to come to the country.

He said at least 40 establishments, 20 of these in Manila, were listed as the initial targets of halal certification by April 7, in time for the gastronomic event “Madrid Fusion” that would open in Manila.

The DOT has reserved a section in the event to showcase halal food.

Fazal Bahardeen, chief executive officer (CEO) of Crescent Rating, the world’s leading authority on Muslim travel, said the global tourism picture showed a growing number of Muslim travelers around the world, making it important for destinations to learn about this market.

He said the number of Muslim travelers had increased from only 25 million in 2000 to 108 million in 2014, bringing in $145 million in value. He said that in 2020, the number of Muslim travelers was expected to reach 150 million, bringing in more than $200 million in tourism receipts.

“These Muslim travelers belong to the younger set,” Boncato said. Germelina Lacorte, Inquirer Mindanao