Halal Food, Certification and Halal Tourism: Insights from Malaysia and Singapore

This paper discusses issues of halal food and its role in halal tourism with specific reference to Malaysia and Singapore which have majority and minority Muslim populations respectively.

Sections devoted to the halal tourism market and the nature of halal food in general, incorporating matters of regulation, are followed by an account of conditions pertaining to halal food and certification in the two destinations. Attention given to the availability of halal food in tourism promotion of the countries is then considered, revealing a shared interest as well as some differences related to wider circumstances. Finally, directions for further research are suggested.

The paper is concerned with selected aspects of halal food and its importance for Muslim tourists. After a brief account of the halal tourism market worldwide and the place occupied by halal food, the defining characteristics of the latter are discussed together with the challenges of regulation. Approaches to certification adopted in the popular tourist destinations of Malaysia and Singapore, South East Asian countries with a majority and minority Muslim population respectively, are then considered before analysis of the part played by halal food in their tourism product development and marketing. Contrasts are ob-served linked to differences as tourist venues and conditions prevailing more widely, but the two states highlight the availability of halal food as a critical dimension of Muslim tourist-friendliness. The study is exploratory and findings are based on analysis of secondary data, employing a case study approach. Avenues for future research are identified in order to further enhance knowledge and understanding of the significance of halal food as a component of halal tourism.

Bibliographic Information

Title: Halal Food, Certification and Halal Tourism: Insights from Malaysia and Singapore

Author: Joan C. Henderson

Published in: Tourism Management Perspectives, Volume 19, Part B, July 2016

 Language: English

Length: 6 pages

Halal Food, Certification and Halal Tourism: Insights from Malaysia and Singapore