Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco —official Fb web page of Christina Frasco
MANILA, Philippines — For the second straight yr, a world journey index has acknowledged the Philippines as an “Rising Muslim-friendly vacation spot” amongst nonmembers of the Group of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Division of Tourism (DOT) mentioned on Saturday.
Based mostly on the 2024 outcomes of the Mastercard-CrescentRating International Muslim Journey Index—an annual report benchmarking locations within the Muslim journey market—the Philippines managed to develop initiatives reminiscent of together with halal meals and integrating Muslim-friendly facilities at main vacationer spots within the nation.
READ: DOT to additional enhance ‘Muslim-friendly,’ halal tourism
Growing attraction
“Tourism authorities have positioned halal tourism excessive on their precedence agenda, evidenced by their motion to reinforce the halal tourism portfolio and lift consciousness amongst tourism stakeholders in regards to the values and practices essential to Muslim vacationers,” it mentioned.
In line with the DOT, the popularity was introduced in the course of the Halal in Journey International Summit held final Thursday in Singapore.
International funds firm Mastercard mentioned the Philippines recorded a rise in its rating within the communications class in comparison with 2023.
“Amongst non-OIC locations, the Philippines has steadily elevated its attraction to Muslim vacationers by strategically growing their halal tourism portfolio, enhancing halal accreditation of inns and eating places, and conducting halal consciousness orientations,” it mentioned.
Halal tourism
Following the quotation, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco vowed to additional increase halal tourism, which “presents a quickly rising market section.”
From the Arabic phrase “halal,” which implies “permissible,” halal tourism is a specialised sector that focuses on the precise preferences and necessities of Muslim vacationers. These faith-based wants embrace halal meals, prayer amenities and leisure areas with privateness for girls.
“By prioritizing this, we not solely display our dedication to inclusivity and cultural sensitivity but in addition open up alternatives to draw extra Muslim vacationers from around the globe, whereas increasing markets for our tourism stakeholders and creating extra livelihood and employment for our fellow Filipinos,” she mentioned.
The summit in Singapore coincided with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s go to to Brunei Darussalam, the place Frasco entered right into a tourism cooperation deal aimed toward additional growing halal tourism within the Philippines.
In line with the DOT, halal tourism is a precedence product underneath the just lately permitted Nationwide Tourism Improvement Plan 2023 to 2028.
That is as a result of constructive outlook for the worldwide halal tourism trade.
Rosy projections
In line with CrescentRating, an authority on halal journey, Muslim worldwide arrivals are projected to soar to as a lot as 230 million by 2028.
Their expenditures are additionally projected to achieve a mixed $225 billion, highlighting the nice potential of this sector to contribute to the general journey trade’s progress.
The DOT in addition to personal corporations within the Philippine hospitality sector acknowledge this potential progress.
On the sidelines of the just lately concluded Arabian Journey Market 2024 in Dubai final month, for example, the DOT inked a memorandum of understanding with Megaworld Accommodations and Resorts, which vowed to make all their properties Muslim-friendly.
Take care of Qatar
Earlier in April, the Philippines additionally signed a take care of Qatar to spice up cooperation within the mutual growth and progress of tourism and enterprise occasions.
“Adapting to the altering wants of Muslim vacationers by providing halal-friendly lodging, eating choices, prayer amenities and different providers not solely enhances the general customer expertise but in addition showcases our respect for numerous cultural and spiritual practices,” Frasco mentioned.
The DOT famous that arrivals from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC Center East) have greater than doubled from prepandemic ranges in 2023, reaching 79,041 for a 115.28-percent restoration fee.
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United Arab Emirates led the surge of vacationer arrivals to the Philippines with 33,769, adopted by Saudi Arabia (19,311), Qatar (10,438), Kuwait (6,915), Bahrain (5,886) and Oman (2,695).
