A conference themed "A New Destination of Halal Tourism" serves as a bridge for experts, businesses and organisations from Halal countries and Việt Nam to promote Halal tourism. — VNS Photo Hồng Linh

KHÁNH HÒA — Việt Nam aims to brand itself as “a new destination of Halal tourism", Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyễn Minh Hằng said at a conference held on July 8 in Nha Trang Ward.

Themed "Việt Nam: A New Destination of Halal Tourism", the conference aimed to create an opportunity for organisations, businesses and investors from Việt Nam and other countries to explore investment, trade and tourism co-operation opportunities in the Halal sector.

It featured hundreds of senior government leaders, foreign diplomats and tourism officials from Việt Nam and key Halal markets across South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa.

The event was co-organised by the Khánh Hòa Provincial People's Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Shaikha Al Nowa, UN Tourism Secretary-General, said that Việt Nam's tourism sector is enjoying strong momentum and welcomed more than 17 million international arrivals in 2024 and 21 million in 2025.

She said the country had taken an important step towards building a strong framework for Halal products and services. In Khánh Hòa Province in particular, local authorities are focusing on Halal-certified agricultural products and showing ambition to strengthen air and sea connections with Islamic markets.

Fazal Bahardeen, CEO and Founder of CrescentRating & HalalTrip, said Southeast Asia is where the next wave of Muslim travellers will arrive.

According to the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026, international Muslim arrivals are projected to reach 196 million in 2026, up 11.3 per cent year-on-year.

He added that the momentum will keep accelerating, with 208 million arrivals projected this year and 262 million by 2030, representing spending of over US$310 billion.

Nguyễn Minh Hằng, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, said Halal tourism in Việt Nam had yet to fulfil its full potential. Of the 21 million international visitors to Việt Nam in 2025, just over 600,000 were Muslim tourists, accounting for nearly three per cent of the total.

“Việt Nam always upholds peace and co-operation, respects cultural and religious differences, and views cultural diversity as a resource for development. These values are perfectly aligned with the spirit of Halal tourism, a form of tourism that upholds respect, humanity and safe, friendly, sustainable experiences," she said.

The nation also has many advantages for tourism development.

This is demonstrated through a stable political system, a safe and secure environment, a long-standing and rich culture, diverse natural landscapes, distinctive cuisine, and a geo-strategic location connecting Southeast Asia with Northeast Asia, South Asia and the Middle East, she added.

To develop Halal tourism, Việt Nam will continue to improve institutions and standards, expand its network of Halal-certified services and strengthen international co-operation.

Vietnamese products with Halal certification. — VNS Photo Hồng Linh

According to Hà Văn Siêu, Deputy Director General of the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism, Việt Nam will focus on ACES: Access, Communication, Environment and Services.

Access refers to market and destination access, including air and sea transport, visa exemption policies and local infrastructure connecting to tourist sites.

Communication includes marketing targeted at Muslim visitors, developing digital platforms for Halal tourism, and raising awareness among the public, businesses and tourism human resource about Halal culture and the requirements of Halal tourism services.

Environment means making Việt Nam a safe, welcoming and eco-friendly destination that meets Halal standards, while also supporting green, clean and sustainable tourism.

Service involves developing specialised products and services to serve the Halal market.

Delegates from participating countries shared experiences in developing Halal tourism, focusing on meeting the essential needs of Halal visitors, including Halal food, prayer facilities and faith-aligned services. 

Việt Nam will need to focus more on digital platforms to serve Halal tourism needs, alongside improving the quality of human resources and training staff with knowledge of Islamic practices, they said. — VNS