THE DEPARTMENT of Tourism (DOT) is committed to developing Muslim-friendly tourism in the Philippines.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco made the announcement during the 19th Congress’ Committee on Appropriations hearing on the Proposed FY 2025 Budget of the DOT on Tuesday (August 20), where she received commendations from members of the House of Representatives, particularly for her leadership in promoting halal tourism in the country.
Representative Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte expressed his admiration for the DOT’s proactive measures under Secretary Frasco’s leadership, emphasizing the significant strides made in attracting Muslim travelers from around the globe, noting the potential Muslim tourists from the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) sub-regional cooperation initiative.
Under Frasco’s leadership, the DOT has introduced several key initiatives to enhance the country’s appeal as a halal and Muslim-friendly destination. Among these is the recent release of the Memorandum Circular No. 2020 – 010 or the Guidelines Governing the Operations and Recognition of Muslim-friendly accommodation Establishments, which aims to set standards for accommodations, restaurants, and services that cater to the specific needs of Muslim travelers.
Frasco emphasized, “It all begins with improving infrastructure and services that will cater to the specific needs of the halal and Muslim-friendly traveler.” She added, “The good news is that the private sector has responded very positively to this endeavor, whereby we recently signed a memorandum of agreement with Megaworld where they have committed to converting all of their 13 properties across the country to become Muslim-friendly.”
Dimaporo expressed his admiration for these efforts, stating, “I’ve never heard this type of initiative from previous secretaries before, and I’m truly impressed by the DOT’s commitment to making the Philippines more Muslim-friendly. This is a significant step forward for our tourism industry.”
Meanwhile, Lanao del Sur Representative Zio Alonto Adiong expressed optimism over the DOT’s halal initiatives, “I congratulate you Madam Secretary for investing in the halal industry. I do not know about the previous administration, but in this case, we felt that with Sec. Frasco, she’s interested in investing so much in the halal industry, and rightly so, because this is a new, emerging, market.”
A remarkable increase in Muslim tourists
“We are pleased to announce that visitor arrivals from Islamic and Muslim-populated countries have seen a remarkable 120% increase from 2022, with numbers reaching 496,724 from January to December 2023,” Secretary Frasco reported. “This growth signifies our success in creating a welcoming environment for Muslim travelers, which is a key component of our overall tourism strategy.”
The Philippines was recognized as the “Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year” for Non-OIC countries at the Halal in Travel Global Summit 2024, held in Singapore, marking the country’s second consecutive win and highlighting the DOT’s efforts to enhance halal tourism.
“The halal tourism market is growing rapidly and therefore the Philippines, recognizing the same, has capitalized on our assets. The Philippines has been recognized for the second year in a row as the Emerging Muslim Friendly Destination of the Year at the Halal Travel Global Summit even as we continue to expand our halal tourism portfolio by increasing our halal-certified dining options, our accreditations, and the like,” the tourism chief added.
Halal Tourism initiatives of the DOT
As of December 2023, the DOT has already recorded 289 halal-friendly establishments and is extending this effort from Mindanao nationwide, which is why the DOT is giving these local businesses opportunities to market themselves through expositions.
Frasco also shared that the DOT has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Megaworld, in which the developer has committed to converting all its 13 properties around the country to become Muslim-friendly.
“We are also now in coordination with other hotel operators for a similar initiative. In addition to that, we continue with our accreditation of Muslim-friendly accommodations, restaurants, and the like, with the view to come up with specific guidelines for Muslim-friendly and halal-accredited food establishments,” Frasco told the lawmakers present.
Another key DOT initiative was the Halal Tourism and Trade Expo, SALAAM, held from June 14-16 in Quezon City. This inaugural expo promoted halal-certified and Muslim-friendly tourism products, attracting over 10,000 visitors, including international tourists and business owners, while underscoring the Philippines’ commitment to developing a robust halal environment.
Complementing this, the DOT mounted Bismillah: An Evening of Faith, Love, and the Flavors of Mindanao last November 2023 highlighting Mindanao’s rich halal cuisine, promoting the region as an emerging culinary destination and reinforcing its vital role in the Philippines’ halal tourism strategy.
Moreover, the DOT is also putting up a Tourist Rest Area in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and is closely working with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Ministry of Tourism to provide them with industry benchmarks and best practices for accommodation practices.
Several big events will be happening this year that are geared toward making the Philippines more Muslim-friendly. “We are pleased to [share] that we are hosting the very first Philippine’s International Health and Wellness Congress which will bring in buyers from the Middle East and various other countries to position the Philippines as a health and wellness destination, in addition to becoming Halal and Muslim friendly,” said Frasco.
In November, the DOT, together with the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, will be supporting the Halal Expo Philippines, which aims to explore the huge potential for the halal industry to thrive in the Philippines.
The tourism chief also mentioned other recent efforts that the DOT has made to explore opportunities in halal tourism like improving bilateral relations with countries like Brunei and Qatar. “We recently brought the biggest Philippine delegation to the Arabian travel market in Dubai as well as signed a memorandum of agreement with both Brunei and Qatar to strategically position the Philippines as Muslim friendly.”
