DOT BARES HALAL TOURIST OFFERINGS

MEASURES to boost Muslim-friendly offers were showcased on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the inaugural edition of the Philippine Halal Trade and Tourist Summit at the World Trade Center in Metro Manila.

"We have sought to ensure that Mindanao fully opens to tourism, and halal reaches the farthest corners of our country beyond Mindanao," Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said during the tourist summit.

"The global market for halal tourism is burgeoning at an unprecedented rate, offering immense opportunities for our nation's economic advancement," she added.

Halal tourism refers to the travel component that conforms to Muslim tourists' faith-based needs.

Among the DoT's most recent initiatives is a cooperation agreement with the Government of Brunei to further boost halal tourism in the Philippines, which was signed during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s official visit in May.

The DoT has also been actively pushing halal and Muslim-friendly tourism through its flagship Philippine Experience Program (PEP): Heritage, Culture, and Arts Caravan, launched in various places in Mindanao.

In addition, the DoT has issued modified guidelines for the operation and recognition of Muslim-Friendly Accommodation Establishments (MFAEs) and signed a memorandum of understanding with Megaworld Hotels & Resorts (MHR) to convert into Islam-friendly places all 13 of its properties.

Frasco also announced the DoT's lined-up Muslim-friendly Travelogue for the Philippines, which would be laid out in three volumes, featuring Islamic history, travel locations and gastronomic pleasures.

"Recognizing the significance of this global demand, our government, under the visionary leadership of our President, is intensifying its efforts to promote and elevate halal and Muslim-friendly tourism in the Philippines," Frasco said.

"Through these concerted efforts, we are positioning our country at the forefront of this dynamic and lucrative industry," she added.

2024-08-02T16:12:12Z dg43tfdfdgfd