13 city hotels to get Halal certification

By Cheneen R. Capon
A total of 13 hotels and restaurants in Davao City will be soon be Halal certified as the city gears itself to become a destination of foreign tourists from Islamic countries.
This is according to Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. president for tourism and investment Malou Ampuan who said these establishments will be among the 53 establishments targeted by the Department of Tourism and Halal International Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines, Inc. to be certified nationwide.
For Davao City, Ampuan said, the establishments include hotel chains Marco Polo Davao, Seda Hotel, Grand Regal Hotel, and Park Inn by Radisson- Davao.
“These establishments will be showcased during the Philippines Halal Tourism Expo 2016 slated on April 22 until 24 at the Abreeza Mall,” Ampuan told reporters in this week’s edition of Wednesday’s sa Habi at Kape at Abreeza Mall yesterday.
Other food and accommodation establishments will come from Manila with 20 for Luzon, and Cebu and Boracay with 10 each for Visayas.
The certification of these establishments is in line with the Mindanao launched Philippine Halal Tourism Project of the tourism agency. The project aims to put the country on the Muslim travel index of CrescentRating, world’s leading authority on halal-friendly travel since 2008.
Ampuan said the halal certification of these establishments will also become one of the criteria on the assessment on the readiness of the country to accommodate Muslim tourists by CrescentRating.
Meawhile, Ampuan said the expo will also gather Halal certifiers, suppliers, and establishments. “It will be a meeting point point of Halal buyers and suppliers,” she added.
The expo will be also a venue to showcase Muslim-friendly destination in Mindanao and in the Philippines.
Ampuan said four airline companies, namely, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air, Air Asia and V- Air were invited to showcase their routes.
“The event is organized to increase the level of awareness on the principles and concepts of halal. Ultimately, it aims to improve the position of Davao in the tourism industry by aligning our programs to halal tourism, one of the fastest growing global tourism concept,” Ampuan added.