Vietnam Hosts First Government Halal Tourism Conference

Vietnam convened its first government-organized halal tourism conference on July 8, 2026, in Khanh Hoa Province, drawing more than 300 delegates from over a dozen countries, according to Bao Quoc Te, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism moved to formalize a national push into the global Muslim travel market.

Vietnam is building formal halal tourism infrastructure: its government held a first-of-its-kind conference with foreign delegations, Vietjet proposed a national coordination platform called Vietnam Halal Connect, and the Gulf Cooperation Council Accreditation Center certified Vietnam’s HALCERT halal certification body, according to conference organizers and Vietjet.

A First-of-Its-Kind Forum

The Vietnam Halal Tourism Conference 2026, held under the theme “Vietnam: A New Destination of Halal Tourism” in Nha Trang Ward, was organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the People’s Committee of Khanh Hoa Province. Delegates traveled from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, Libya, Algeria, Nigeria, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Republic of Korea, and Kazakhstan.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang told delegates this was “the first forum on Halal tourism organized by Vietnamese government agencies,” per Bao Quoc Te, calling it a reflection of Vietnam’s “determination to develop the Halal ecosystem.” Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong said Vietnam has “favorable conditions to develop Halal tourism, with stable socio-political conditions” and “increasingly synchronized tourism infrastructure.” Nguyen Long Bien, standing vice chairman of Khanh Hoa Province, said the province is “gradually building a Muslim-friendly tourism environment.”

A Small Slice of a Fast-Growing Market

Vietnam’s tourism base doesn’t yet reflect that ambition. The country welcomed 21 million international visitors in 2025, up from 17 million in 2024, but Muslim travelers accounted for just over 600,000 of last year’s arrivals — approximately 3% of the total — according to Vietnam News. As The Halal Times has reported, Vietnam has moved to position itself as an ASEAN halal hub, and the July conference marks its most formal government-level step yet.

The opportunity it’s chasing is sizable. According to the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026, international Muslim arrivals are projected to reach 196 million in 2026, an 11.3% year-on-year increase, rising to 208 million in 2027 and 262 million by 2030, representing spending of more than $310 billion. Fazal Bahardeen, CEO and founder of CrescentRating and HalalTrip, cited that data in pointing to Southeast Asia as a draw for Muslim travelers. The timing tracks a broader shift in which a halal tourism market has emerged globally as businesses seek to cater to wealthy Muslim travelers.

Vietjet’s Platform and a GCC Stamp of Approval

The conference produced two concrete commitments. On July 10, 2026, Vietjet announced a proposed platform called Vietnam Halal Connect, designed to link airlines, airports, tourism businesses, halal certification bodies, and technology partners. Ha Nang Viet, the airline’s commercial director, said: “We see strong opportunities to strengthen Vietnam’s appeal among Muslim travellers through better connectivity and services that respond to their evolving travel needs.” The platform’s stated goals include expanding halal meal options, building digital travel tools, and supporting internationally recognized halal standards where applicable; Vietjet currently operates more than 135 domestic and international routes, including into other Muslim-majority markets, according to TTG Asia. The push echoes a wider pattern in which airlines have looked to attract Muslim travelers to raise revenue through dedicated meal and service offerings.

Separately, the Gulf Cooperation Council Accreditation Center awarded a Halal Certification Program Certificate to HALCERT, Vietnam’s National Halal Certification Center, per Bao Quoc Te. The certificate came from the Gulf region’s own halal accreditation body. Ha Van Sieu, deputy director general of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, outlined an “ACES” framework for the sector, covering access, communication, environment, and services.

Still Largely Underdeveloped

Vietnamese officials were candid about the gap between ambition and infrastructure. Nguyen Minh Hang acknowledged that halal tourism “remains largely underdeveloped” in the country despite what she called strong potential, per VietnamPlus. Ho An Phong said Vietnam will “continue to improve institutional frameworks and standards, develop human resources, expand Halal-certified services” and deepen international cooperation. Organizers pointed to concrete gaps: halal-compliant restaurants, hotels, and resorts; prayer facilities at airports and tourist sites; and specialized products such as wellness tourism, golf, MICE, and ecotourism, aimed at target markets in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, India, the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. That gap between stated ambition and current capacity was the recurring theme the officials themselves returned to throughout the forum.

What to Watch

The next marker is how much of the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026’s projected 196 million global Muslim arrivals in 2026 Vietnam actually captures. Its own 3% share of international arrivals, per Vietnam News and VietnamPlus, is the baseline against which Vietjet’s Vietnam Halal Connect and HALCERT’s Gulf Cooperation Council accreditation will be measured as both move from announcement toward implementation in the months ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vietnam a good destination for Muslim travelers?

Vietnam’s government is actively building toward that goal rather than claiming to have arrived. Khanh Hoa Province, host of the July 2026 conference, is “gradually building a Muslim-friendly tourism environment,” according to vice chairman Nguyen Long Bien, though officials described the sector as “largely underdeveloped,” with halal-certified restaurants, hotels, and prayer facilities among the gaps they aim to close.

How many Muslim tourists visit Vietnam?

Vietnam recorded just over 600,000 Muslim visitors in 2025, about 3% of its 21 million total international arrivals that year, according to Vietnam News and VietnamPlus.

What is Vietnam Halal Connect?

Vietnam Halal Connect is a platform proposed by Vietjet to link airlines, airports, certification bodies, and tourism businesses serving Muslim travelers. Commercial director Ha Nang Viet announced it on July 10, 2026, at the Vietnam Halal Tourism Conference 2026, according to TTG Asia.

What is HALCERT, and why does its Gulf accreditation matter?

HALCERT is Vietnam’s National Halal Certification Center. In July 2026, the Gulf Cooperation Council Accreditation Center awarded it a Halal Certification Program Certificate, according to Bao Quoc Te. That center is the Gulf region’s own halal accreditation body, which is why Vietnamese officials highlighted the award at the conference.

How big is the global Muslim travel market projected to become?

International Muslim travel is projected to reach 196 million arrivals in 2026 and 262 million by 2030, worth more than $310 billion in spending, according to the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026.