During the Vietnam Halal Tourism Conference 2026 in Nha Trang, Vietnam unveiled its plans to increasingly appeal to the Muslim travel market. The introduction of the so-called Decree 127 provides the country’s first framework, applicable to both local residents and tourists.
Of the more than 21 million international arrivals in Vietnam in 2025, approximately 600,000 were Muslim travellers, according to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Hang. In order to become even more attractive to Muslim visitors, Vietnam will be stepping up its efforts regarding halal-certified services.
During the Vietnam Halal Tourism Conference 2026, government representatives, international tourism organisations, and industry leaders gathered in the town of Nha Trang to discuss which measures can be introduced to attract more Muslim travellers. One of the most important events of the conference was the public launch of the so-called Decree 127, providing a halal framework.
The decree offers a series of regulations on quality control and policies for the development of halal products and services. These include requirements for quality, labelling, traceability, testing, halal certification, handling of violations of the requirements, and support policies for halal products and services.
“Decree 127 provides a clear and consistent certification system that will give tourism businesses greater confidence to develop Muslim-friendly products and services. Vietnam still has work to do in expanding its network of halal-certified businesses and Muslim-friendly facilities, but the good news is the foundations are now being put in place. The next step is to build greater awareness across government, industry and the wider community so that halal becomes part of Vietnam’s long-term tourism and economic strategy,” stated Ramlan Osman, director of the Vietnam Halal Certification Authority (HALCERT), told Travel Weekly Asia.
However, the conference also saw a series of more specific Muslim-friendly initiatives. For example, local airline Vietjet has introduced Vietnam Halal Connect in collaboration with HALCERT. The programme is set to connect airlines, airports, tourism businesses, halal certification bodies, and technology partners to develop halal-certified services for tourists.
“We see strong opportunities to strengthen Vietnam’s appeal among Muslim travellers through better connectivity and services that respond to their evolving travel needs. Through Vietnam Halal Connect, we hope to encourage closer cooperation across the travel value chain so that Muslim travellers can explore Vietnam with greater confidence and convenience”, said Ha Nang Viet, commercial director at Vietjet.
Meanwhile, hotels Wyndham Garden Legend Ha Long and Novotel Ha Long Bay both received their Muslim-friendly accommodation recognition during the conference. According to Elena Jiwon Han, general manager at the Wyndham Garden Legend Ha Long, the recognition is an important step in making the hotel more accessible to international Muslim travellers.
As the Global Muslim Travel Index 2026 projects international Muslim arrivals to reach 196 million in 2026, halal-certified services are gaining attention on an international scale. By developing its Muslim-friendly offer, Vietnam’s tourism sector is preparing to become more competitive and diversified.
