HKTB and Muslim representatives elevate HK as a Muslim-friendly travel hub

Hong Kong tourism Board (HKTB) has organised a familiarisation tour for Muslim travel trade representatives from Southeast Asian markets to promote Hong Kong as a Muslim-friendly tourist destination.

From 17 to 20 February, HKTB invited 22 Muslim travel trade representatives from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia to visit Hong Kong for four days and three nights to experience Hong Kong’s Muslim-friendly tourism facilities and offerings in person. 

They visited various hotels that received Muslim accreditations by international Muslim tourism certifier “CrescentRating”, to check out their accommodation facilities and catering services. They have also tried authentic quality Chinese cuisines with Halal-certifications, including crab roe noodles, Hong Kong-made handmade cookies and Hong Kong-style dim sum, enjoying the authentic Hong Kong experience on tastebuds.

The delegation also visited the Muslim-friendly facilities and exciting experiences in theme parks– meeting with giant pandas “An An” and “Ke Ke” in Ocean Park Hong Kong, visiting the World of Frozen and watching the multimedia pyrotechnic show in Hong Kong Disneyland, exploring Old Town Central with Hong Kong history and local heritage, taking a cable car ride at Ngong Ping 360 to the Ngong Ping market, navigating the Lantau Island, and discovering the unique culinary culture of Tai O, which is dubbed the Venice of the East, in a salted egg yolk preservation workshop.

The HKTB also continues to encourage more local trade partners to enhance their Muslim-friendly facilities, apply for related accreditations and certifications, and introduce Halal-certified food products, including newly launched local edible souvenirs, so as to provide Muslim travellers with a better and more diversified experience when visiting Hong Kong, and to attract them to travel to the city.

The representatives visited various hotels that has received Muslim accreditations by international Muslim tourism certifier “CrescentRating”, to check out their accommodation facilities and catering services. They have also tried authentic quality Chinese cuisines with Halal- certifications, including crab roe noodles, Hong Kong-made handmade cookies and Hong Kong-style dim sum, enjoying the authentic Hong Kong experience on tastebuds.

According to HKTB, more eateries, including Chinese restaurants and Hong Kong-style noodle shops, are being certified as Muslim-friendly in tourism hotspots. Following the success of Chinesology, Hong Kong's first high-end Halal-certified Chinese restaurant, Cuisine Cuisine in Tsim Sha Tsui has also received Halal recognition. Additionally, Lady 13 Kitchen, a modern Hong Kong-style restaurant, has joined the list, featuring crab roe noodles, vegetarian chicken noodles, and skewers for Muslim diners. At this point, 53 hotels, 5 attractions, and MICE venues have successfully applied for and received "CrescentRating" accreditation, while over 140 restaurants have obtained Halal certification.

Furthermore, as the Ramadan which lasts for about a month has already begun, Kowloon ShangriLa and Dorsett Tsuen Wan Hong Kong have launched special Ramadan Buffets to accommodate the dietary needs and arrangements of Muslim travellers during the period.

To enhance frontline tourism practitioners’ ability in welcoming Muslim travellers, HKTB is developing a series of new training materials to familiarise tourism practitioners with the culture and lifestyle of the Muslims, such as simple greetings, customs, dietary requirements, attire to daily life situations, with infographics and videos, with a view to propagate the development of the growing Muslim market segment.

At the same time, HKTB said it will continue to actively promote Hong Kong Tourism in various Muslim markets, and will collaborate with key media organisations and online travel brokers in the Middle East to highlight Hong Kong's innovative tourism activities and experiences.

Becky Ip, HKTB’s deputy executive director, said, “Since the beginning of 2024, HKTB has adopted a diversified approach to establish Hong Kong as a Muslim-friendly tourism environment through three major directions – accreditation, education and promotion, which has received tremendous support from stakeholders and tourism-related sectors. HKTB is glad to see that more of our local trade partners are now actively capturing the opportunities arising from the Muslim market segment, such as applying for Muslim-friendly accreditation and Halal-certification, and introducing edible souvenirs that are halal-certified. These initiatives further enrich Muslim visitors’ experience and options for catering, accommodation, and shopping when they are visiting Hong Kong."

"HKTB is also producing a series of new training materials for frontline tourism and service practitioners to deepen their understanding towards Muslim culture and how they can provide hospitality to Muslim travellers. In the future, we will also step up promotions of Hong Kong’s tourism in Muslim visitor source markets," Ip added. 

Don't miss: HKTB invites South Korean stars and visitors to promote trail running tourism

Back in February, HKTB launched a running-themed tour for South Korean travellers to immerse themselves in the city’s urban and natural landscapes, drawing over 140 visitors from South Korea. 

Also known as "Hong Kong Outdoor Festival”, the event followed last year’s inaugural "HK Great Outdoors Festival", which featured various sports activities such as yoga, night running and hiking. HKTB South Korea director Kim Yoon-ho cited it as evidence of the strong appeal of green tourism and outdoor sports-focused vacations among South Korean travellers. 

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