Tag: Halal

Singapore – Southeast Asia has once again emerged as the world’s leading Muslim tourist destination, with Indonesia and Malaysia tied for the top spot among 145 global destinations. This is according to the latest edition of the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI).

The report noted that Indonesia and Malaysia both ranked in the list of leading destinations by the Non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), as well as scoring favourably on ease of entry and quality of tourism infrastructure for both Muslim and non-Muslim travellers.

It is also worth noting that Singapore has consistently led among OIC destinations for the ninth consecutive year, underscoring its unwavering dedication to cater to Muslim travelers by widespread availability of Halal food, prayer facilities, suitable airport amenities, and Muslim-friendly accommodation.

Moreover, Thailand maintained its position in the top five non-OIC destinations, owing to efforts towards promoting Halal tourism like increasing Halal food availability, integration of Muslim-friendly amenities at tourist spots, and enhanced accommodation and dining options for Muslim travelers. 

In addition, the Philippines recorded an increase in its score on communications compared to 2023. Among non-OIC destinations, the Philippines has steadily increased its appeal to Muslim tourists by strategically developing their Halal Tourism portfolio, enhancing halal accreditation of hotels and restaurants, and conducting Halal awareness orientations.

According to the report, the Muslim travel market is set for a significant uptick this year, with global international arrivals potentially reaching up to 168 million, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by as much as 5%. 

This growth in volume highlights the rising prominence of the segment, driven by demographic and economic expansion, cultural and Halal tourism development, and technological advancements that enable more personalized travel experiences for Muslim travelers, such as apps that locate Halal food outlets, Qibla directions, and prayer timings. The impact of artificial intelligence is also helping further customize travel experiences to simplify travel logistics while adhering to faith traditions.

Safdar Khan, division president of Southeast Asia at Mastercard, said, “According to the latest report from the Mastercard Economics Institute (MEI), travellers from and to Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly focused on getting the best value from their trips to ensure the most unforgettable experiences, a shift echoed in the rapidly growing global Halal tourism industry. At the same time, technology is helping this demographic to travel in ways that meet their unique needs, from AI-powered hyper-personalized experiences to Mastercard’s own enablement of easy and secure cross-border payments.”

He added, “Together this heralds a new level of convenience for Muslim travellers and unlocks a new era of growth and profitability for travel operators. Mastercard’s long-running collaboration with CrescentRating is both a testament to the strength of the partnership and the ongoing importance of understanding and serving Muslim travellers.”

Meanwhile, Fazal Bahardeen, founder and CEO at CrescentRating, commented, “It is encouraging to see that the travel sectors in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore not only maintained their rankings in this year’s GMTI, but also improved their individual scores. This reflects a broader trend of increased consideration for Muslim travellers, with average scores across the Index rising by 10%.”

He added, “It is also positive to see the Philippines continue to improve its score, which demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the Department of Tourism to bolstering Muslim-friendly tourism and advancing the destination’s appeal. As Muslim travel continues to gain momentum, the GMTI 2024 report provides invaluable insights for stakeholders across the travel and tourism sector to leverage the growing Muslim travel market.”

Malaysia – Online food and grocery delivery platform foodpanda has launched ‘bekal by foodpanda’ in Malaysia, with which users can now avail of halal food item deliveries. The newly launched delivery fleet is the first and only brand globally within the Delivery Hero group to be certified halal by the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim).

bekal by foodpanda ensures that from the moment an order is placed with a halal-certified merchant on foodpanda to the minute the order is delivered to a customer’s doorstep, the product’s halal integrity and purity will be safeguarded in every step of the delivery process. 

To ensure that the last-mile delivery stage of the online food delivery process is halal-compliant, bekal by foodpanda has also built a dedicated fleet of delivery partners who have been equipped with halal-compliant delivery bags and provided with specialised training on halal awareness and sertu (ritual cleansing).

Meanwhile, foodpanda likewise shared that non-halal-certified merchants can also look forward to plans by bekal by foodpanda to provide halal training and coaching certification in support of the Malaysian government’s priorities in growing the ecosystem of halal vendors.

“We’re seeing an increasing demand amongst customers for an end-to-end halal-certified delivery service, especially in Muslim majority countries. Today, I’m very proud that we have launched a fully halal-certified food delivery fleet – the first in the Delivery Hero group,” said bekal by foodpanda Chief Executive Officer Sayantan Das.

Das further added that bekal’s Muslim customers be assured that their dedicated delivery partners are well-equipped to deliver halal-certified food in a safe and secure manner, without putting the food at risk of cross-contamination with non-halal products.

“With the halal certification, we are proud to be able to contribute further to the halal economy in Malaysia directly. It is estimated that the halal food sector in Malaysia will be worth RM201.02 billion by 2025, and we want to demonstrate our commitment to our Muslim customers that bekal by foodpanda is fully equipped to ensure the purity of their halal food items, even when they order food online from foodpanda,” he concluded.

bekal by foodpanda currently operates in Putrajaya, Malaysia and will be expanded into all areas in Klang Valley by July 2023, with an eventual nationwide roll-out planned. Customers within the bekal by foodpanda designated zones can order their food items from halal-certified merchant partners listed on the dedicated ‘bekal’ section on the app.

Just last month, foodpanda also launched a campaign called ‘Double Tips, Double Love’, which spotlighted the importance of delivery partners’ role in the delivery ecosystem.

Manila, Philippines – As part of the country’s move for the eventual resumption of the tourism industry, the Department of Tourism (DOT) of the Philippines has launched its Halal Culinary Heritage Series, a campaign that encourages dining discoveries for our Muslim counterparts, as well as highlights the country’s food traditions.

Launched in July 2021, the initiative showcases unique food finds in Mindanao through a video series posted on the Department’s social media platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

“Food is an important part of a tourism experience. It gives us a glimpse of a place’s culture and heritage. Through the development of our Halal Culinary Tourism, we are encouraging the discovery and familiarity with the culinary traditions of our Muslim brothers and sisters in the Philippines,” says Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat.

Said campaign is part of the Mindanao Halal Culinary Tourism, a project of the DOT with the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Aside from promoting the heritage of Mindanao and familiarity with its culture, the project also aims to document culinary practices of the area through food mapping. 

“With this initiative, there will be more knowledge and a better understanding of Filipino Halal cuisines and cooking traditions. The Philippines is creating new experiences and attractions in its different regions, so there is always more to explore,” the tourism department said in a press statement.

Through the campaign, tourists visiting Manila will be able to find restaurants and eateries that offer Halal-certified food, ranging from the stalls located at the area known as Muslim Town near the Golden Mosque in Quiapo that offer culinary delights such as ‘bakas’ or Bamboo-smoked tuna and a glutinous rice cake called ‘dodol’. 

The campaign also showcases El Prado dining outlet of the Berjaya Hotel Makati which offers dishes such as tinolang Manok (chicken in ginger broth with vegetables), a halal ‘nilagang baka’ (boiled beef with vegetables) and ‘sinigang na baka’ (beef simmered in a clear sour soup with vegetables).

The region of Mindanao offers a rich trove of halal Filipino items, ranging from dry curry ‘beef rendang’ or its fusion version as a ‘beef rendang penne’ at a restaurant called Torogan Kape in the city of Cagayan de Oro, ‘sinina kambing’ or goat meat stewed in spices and served with crab rice from Hashy’s Cuisine in Cotabato, ‘buntot (tail) ng tuna’ in curry sauce and ‘palapa’ (sweet and spicy Filipino condiment) by Tambilawan Kamayan Restaurant in General Santos City, to name a few.

The tourism department adds, “There are even more food discoveries to be found in the Philippines, with a culinary heritage that has been passed down from generations. While there are new dishes that have evolved from the basic recipes through the years, the flavors are just as rich and exciting.”