Oman Targets 7 Percent Annual Growth in Halal Products and Services Sector

Oman’s halal products and services industry is targeted to grow 7 percent annually over five years, Muscat Daily reported on September 1, 2026, as a three-day workshop on halal tourism opened in Salalah. The Oman Observer, reporting the same day, put the expected pace at over 7 percent a year.

Who Is Running the Salalah Workshop

The Halal Times reported the workshop before it opened. The event, titled “Halal Tourism,” is a three-day workshop in the wilayat of Salalah, according to Times of Oman. The Oman Observer reported that it runs from September 1 to 3, 2026. It’s run by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion (MoCIIP), together with Omran Group, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), Times of Oman said. The opening was held under the patronage of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism, Azzan bin Qasim Al Busaidi, the same outlet reported.

Times of Oman reported that the opening programme included a visual presentation on the country’s halal ecosystem, alongside an overview of its national standardization system. Day one took in the halal tourism market across Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states, opportunities in halal certification for restaurants, and the requirements that apply to halal food products under approved specifications, the outlet said. Those the workshop is aimed at include government bodies and private-sector participants from tourism, food, inspection services, restaurants, and logistics, according to the same report. The Halal Times reported in August 2025 on the oversight working group Oman introduced to strengthen halal food compliance.

The Market Figures Cited

Muscat Daily valued the global halal economy at US$2.3 trillion for 2024, with a projection of US$3.1 trillion by 2028, citing the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2024. The GCC market for halal products and services is worth more than US$300 billion a year, both Muscat Daily and the Oman Observer reported.

Tourism’s contribution to Oman’s gross domestic product rose to 2.9 percent in the first quarter of 2026, up from 2.6 percent a year earlier, the Oman Observer reported. Direct tourism GDP increased 6.5 percent to RO 293.8 million, the same report said. It also reported that restaurant services accounted for 18.3 percent of direct tourism value added.

What the Officials Said

The Director General of Standards and Metrology at MoCIIP, Emad bin Khamis Al Shukaili, said the halal sector “has evolved into an integrated economic ecosystem spanning manufacturing, agriculture, financial services, healthcare, logistics, tourism and hospitality,” Muscat Daily reported. The same report quoted him saying Oman was “well positioned to benefit, particularly through growing domestic demand, higher visitor numbers from Islamic countries and opportunities to export halal products and services to regional and international markets.”

In the Oman Observer’s report, Al Shukaili said the growth would be “driven by rising domestic demand, increasing numbers of visitors from Islamic countries and opportunities to reach regional and international markets.” Ihsan Ovut, Secretary General of SMIIC, said Oman possesses “cultural and religious compatibility, hospitality, natural diversity and a strong family environment,” according to the Oman Observer.

Where Oman Ranks on Muslim Travel

Oman ranked 10th out of 150 destinations assessed in the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026, with an overall score of 73, the Oman Observer reported. The index projects international Muslim arrivals reaching 262 million by 2030, up from 208 million in 2026, the same report said. Annual expenditure is put at approximately US$310 billion by 2030, the Oman Observer also reported.

Participants will also address the national halal system, the national standardization framework, and halal certification procedures during the workshop, Times of Oman reported. The event doesn’t finish until September 3, the Oman Observer reported.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Oman’s halal sector growth target?

Muscat Daily reported on September 1, 2026 that the halal products and services sector in the country is targeted to expand 7 percent a year across a five-year horizon. The Oman Observer, publishing the same day, described the pace as over 7 percent annually.

How big is the GCC halal market?

Reports published on September 1, 2026 by Muscat Daily and the Oman Observer both put the Gulf Cooperation Council market for halal products and services above US$300 billion each year.

Where did Oman rank in the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026?

The Oman Observer’s September 1, 2026 report placed the country 10th among 150 assessed destinations, with an overall score of 73.

Who organized the Halal Tourism workshop in Salalah?

Times of Oman reported on September 1, 2026 that the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion ran the event alongside Omran Group, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, and SMIIC.

How large is the global halal economy?

Muscat Daily, reporting on September 1, 2026, cited the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2024 in putting the worldwide figure at US$2.3 trillion for 2024, rising to a projected US$3.1 trillion in 2028.