Salalah to Host Specialized Workshop on Halal Tourism Next Tuesday

Oman Strengthens National Halal System Through New Tourism Workshop

Salalah: A specialized three-day workshop on “Halal Tourism” will begin next Tuesday in Salalah, bringing together representatives from government and private-sector organizations involved in tourism, hospitality, food services and conformity assessment.

The workshop is organized by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion in cooperation with the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries, the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and Omran Group.

The programme forms part of Oman’s efforts to strengthen its national halal system, develop technical and professional capabilities and capitalize on opportunities in the growing global Islamic economy. It also aims to support the diversification of tourism products and services and enhance their competitiveness in line with regional and international standards.

Participants will explore the halal system and halal tourism, including international standards, Oman’s national halal framework, halal certification, the halal market and quality infrastructure within the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

The workshop will also examine the global halal tourism market, its development across OIC member states, opportunities for halal certification in restaurants, and requirements for halal food and tourism services.

Practical sessions and case studies will demonstrate how establishments can implement standards covering the preparation, storage and serving of halal food and beverages.

The workshop targets organizations operating in tourism, hospitality, food, inspection, restaurants and logistics, as well as hotels, tourism companies, airlines, laboratories, inspection bodies and halal certification organizations.

Emad bin Khamis Al-Shukaili, Director General of Standards and Metrology at the Ministry, said the workshop supports efforts to build national expertise and improve understanding of halal tourism standards and requirements while benefiting from international experience.

He noted that the halal concept extends beyond food to sectors including tourism, hospitality, logistics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and financial services, highlighting the need for an integrated national system based on standards, accreditation and conformity assessment.

Dr. Saeed bin Sultan Al Busaidi, Director of the Omani Accreditation Center, said accreditation is a key component in ensuring the reliability of the halal system by verifying the competence of conformity assessment bodies and strengthening confidence in halal certificates.

He added that halal tourism is becoming an increasingly important sector of the global Islamic economy as demand grows for tourism services that meet the needs of Muslim travelers, including accommodation, restaurants, transportation and visitor activities.

The Ministry is currently preparing National Halal System Regulations aimed at clarifying requirements and procedures, improving quality and reliability, protecting consumers and strengthening the competitiveness of Omani products and services.

The initiative also seeks to facilitate the import and export of halal products and services and support the registration of conformity assessment bodies through the Oman Business platform.