Great potential of halal for tourism development and economic growth.

Today, a seminar entitled “Success of Halal Certificate Application in the International Market” was held at the Croatian Chamber of Economy – County Chamber Split. The seminar was delivered by Aldin Dugonjić, Head of the Centre for Halal Quality Certification, who, together with the County Chamber Split, was the organizer of the event.

“The seminar is a continuation of the many years of quality cooperation between the County Chamber Split and the Centre in informing business entities about the halal certificate, whose introduction greatly contributes to attracting tourists with halal requirements and, consequently, to the development of tourism, as well as strengthening exports, attracting investments and post-pandemic recovery,” emphasized Joze Tomaš, President of the Croatian Chamber of Economy – County Chamber Split, to whom this topic is very close as a long-time tourism professional.

In his introduction, Dugonjić explained the concept of halal, which, among other things, primarily means “permissible,” its application in food, cosmetics, the pharmaceutical industry, tourism and hospitality, and presented the certification process itself.

“The halal market represents an increasingly significant market niche and is not limited to geographical, cultural or religious dimensions; the halal industry and market are continuously growing regardless of the pandemic,” said Dugonjić. That the halal market should be viewed globally is illustrated, for example, by the fact that frozen burek from Croatia is placed on and sells very well in Australia.

In Croatia, well-known food brands and hotel chains have so far been halal-certified, as have products and services from the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, as well as educational institutions.

The role of halal in tourism is particularly significant, and work on the development of halal tourism has been underway in Croatia for about a decade. According to Dugonjić, research conducted among certificate holders shows that for 50 percent of them, the certificate led to an increase in the number of overnight stays/guest arrivals of 1 to 5 percent, and for just over 31 percent, an increase of 5 to 15 percent.

Mario Baras from the Le Méridien Lav hotel, which received the certificate in 2018, provided attendees with practical insights into the experience of introducing the halal certificate, what it looks like in real situations, and how the process of obtaining the certificate and subsequently implementing the requirements proceeds.

“Our primary goal was to get closer to our guests and understand them better; the process is not complicated, and today we are well-established and recognized in this segment,” said Baras, adding that in summer they receive up to five families per day with halal requirements.

The necessary information and knowledge about halal can be found in one place in Aldin Dugonjić’s book “Halal – A Standard Tailored to Man,” which was also presented as part of the seminar.

Source and photo: Turizmoteka/HGK County Chamber Split