The third edition of the International Halal Tourism Congress held in Türkiye's western province of Izmir highlights the growing interest in Halal tourism worldwide, with experts predicting significant advancements by 2030.
The event, organized in collaboration with the Culture and Tourism minister, gathers academics, tourism experts and sector leaders to discuss issues related to Halal tourism.
Halal tourism is considered as a subcategory of tourism that is geared toward Muslim families who abide by the rules of Islam.
The hotels in such destinations do not serve alcohol, have separate swimming pools and spa facilities for men and women, serve only halal foods, and have prayer facilities in-room and in a common hall.
Along with destinations such as Malaysia, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Türkiye is one of the most popular destinations for tourists who seek halal offers.
Mehmet Karakaş, the rector of Afyon Kocatepe University, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the increase in the Muslim population globally, along with the rise in Muslim travelers, has spurred activity in Halal tourism. He expects significant progress by 2030.
The first day of the congress, Friday, was completed with speeches by tourism sector representatives from 16 countries, followed by scientific presentations on Saturday.
They aimed to raise awareness about halal tourism with the congress and emphasized that they have made significant progress since the first congress, said Karakaş.
A total of 124 researchers from 55 universities in 24 countries presented 72 scientific studies on the institutional infrastructure of Halal tourism, improving service quality, standardization and development models.
Karakaş highlighted the increasing interest in the field, with 300 participants from 40 countries and representation from academia and industry. He stressed the need for institutionalization and urged academics and industry professionals to further explore the significance of Halal accreditation.
'Biggest share of this cake'
Karakaş emphasized that Halal tourism is not a standalone sector and should be considered with other Halal concepts. He stressed that customers want to meet all their Halal needs, not just one aspect of the Halal concept.
Highlighting the increasing number of Muslim tourists worldwide, Karakaş said: "The Muslim population was large, but the number of tourists was small. It started to increase. Türkiye can get the biggest share of this cake. Steps have been taken in this regard."
The government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), academia and the industry need to invest more so that Türkiye can get the share it deserves. Türkiye has a substantial infrastructure in tourism, he said.
Additionally, Türkiye's Halal Accreditation Institution President Zafer Soylu highlighted Ankara's goal to promote its potential for "Muslim-friendly tourism" globally.
"We have received accreditation requests from nearly 170 certification bodies worldwide, with over half coming from abroad," said Soylu.
The institution issued nearly 80 accreditations, assuring over 1,300 products and services in Türkiye and globally, he said.
Soylu emphasized the importance of using the standards of the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries affiliated with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
He also highlighted Malaysia's significant efforts in halal tourism.
The 3rd International Halal Tourism Congress will conclude Sunday with a tour of the ancient city of Ephesus, and the House of the Virgin Mary.