‘Halal’ cuisine to lure Muslim tourists to RP spots

Making halal cuisine readily available in tourist destinations will encourage more tourists from Muslim countries to visit the Philippines.

This is according to officials of the Department of Tourism (DOT), who on Tuesday stressed the need to intensify the promotion and availability of halal food.

Halal food would help the country get a bigger share of the global Muslim tourist market, said Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

“There is a need to make our Muslim tourists and travelers more welcome by having more establishments cater to their dietary requirements,” Durano said in a statement.

The DOT co-sponsored the recent National Halal Convention held at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City.

The two-day event gathered 600 local and national government officials, Muslim religious leaders and experts, food manufacturers and exporters, certification professionals, local and international civic group representatives and diplomats to discuss issues on improving the production of and access to halal food in key consumer areas in the country.

“The department is striving to help make halal cuisine available in our tourist destinations in anticipation of the influx of travelers from Malaysia and the Gulf States,” said DOT director for product research and development, Elizabeth Nelle.

The department implements a country-wide program that advocates the preparation and presentation of halal meals and food products in hotels, restaurants, resorts and airlines. (INQ.net)