PH readies resources to woo Muslim tourists

The Philippines has intensified efforts to make itself attractive to Muslim tourists, who are emerging as a strong force in global travel spending.

The Department of Tourism has teamed up with Crescent-Rating, the world’s leading authority on “halal” travel, to help build capabilities and resources and launch a destination marketing campaign. Both mapped out a series of activities to increase awareness on the availability of halal food, mosques, and other Muslim-friendly holiday experiences and facilities in the Philippines.

The Philippines’ close proximity to the large Muslim populations of Malaysia and Indonesia, coupled with its rich diverse culture, is seen to make the country an attractive destination for family tourists keen to explore one of the most unique places in Asia.  Yet, it has a lot of catching up to do compared to its neighbors when it comes to attracting Muslim travellers, now widely recognized as a key growth tourism sector projected to be worth $200 billion by 2020.

“The Philippines receives close to 566,000 visitors from the Middle East, parts of Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), as well as India and Israel. These form our base market to extend halal services and to move forward. Halal is not only a religious matter, but a nation’s concern,” Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said in a joint press statement with Crescent.

“Hence, the impetus in the development of the halal industry must be economic rather than just cultural. Improving the halal industry in our country would not only serve to advance the lives of Muslim Filipinos and attract more tourists, but it could also help spur growth in the Philippine economy,” he added.

Muslims are typically more discerning when it comes to foreign travel, given the lifestyle prescribed by their religion. The Philippines, which is predominantly Christian, has Muslims comprising about 5 percent of its population.

This new drive to attract inbound Muslim tourists is part and parcel of the Philippines’ long-term strategy to maximize its economic growth in the halal tourism industry. The initial focus will be on developing services in Manila, Davao, Cebu and Boracay.

Fazal Bahardeen, chief executive officer of CrescentRating, said: “Looking at the Philippines’ unique culture and heritage, we believe there is a huge potential for the destination to position itself and inspire Muslim visitors to choose Philippines for their next holiday.

Muslim tourists are now more bold and daring in their travel choices and the Philippines presents a great offering for those looking for natural beauty and culture.”