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Iran pitches halal tourism potential Vietnam forum
Iran promoted itself as a safe and competitive destination for the fast-growing halal tourism market at an international conference attended by delegates from around 30 countries in Vietnam on July 8, according to Iran's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, as Tehran stepped up efforts to expand its share of Muslim travel.
The conference, held in Vietnam's coastal Khanh Hoa province under the theme "Vietnam, A New Destination of Halal Tourism", brought together about 350 government officials, tourism authorities, investors and businesses from South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Central Asia, Africa and member states of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council, showing intensifying competition for Muslim travelers, ILNA reported.
Parham Janfeshan, adviser to Iran's tourism minister and director-general for tourism services supervision and evaluation, said Iran's civilizational heritage, Islamic culture, diverse landscapes and Muslim-friendly infrastructure positioned it to become "one of the world's influential destinations" in the expanding halal tourism market.
"Halal tourism is no longer limited to halal food," Janfeshan said. "It requires a complete ecosystem, including standard accommodation, family-oriented services, facilities compatible with Islamic culture and well-trained personnel."
He said Iran's location at the crossroads of major Muslim regions, combined with cultural and social infrastructure already aligned with Muslim-friendly travel standards, gave the country a competitive edge.
Janfeshan also argued that first-hand visits offered foreign travelers the chance to experience Iran's "security, tranquility and hospitality" directly, providing what he described as a more accurate picture of the country than negative portrayals abroad.
He called for broader international cooperation, including joint tourism agreements, specialized travel packages for Muslim visitors, stronger health tourism, higher service standards and the training of specialist tour guides to support long-term growth.
The conference highlighted the commercial importance of the sector. Vietnam said it welcomed more than 21mn international visitors in 2025, including around 600,000 Muslim travelers, or nearly 3% of total arrivals. Vietnamese officials said they were building a nationwide halal ecosystem and encouraging destinations such as Khanh Hoa to expand halal-certified services as demand from Muslim travelers continues to rise.
Iran has been seeking to diversify its tourism industry by developing religious, cultural and medical travel, while placing greater emphasis on halal tourism as global Muslim travel spending continues to expand.