International tourists flock to Phu Quoc for tourism

International tourists are Muslims living in many countries around the world bustling to Phu Quoc for tourism. What will the locality and tourism businesses do to welcome this international tourist market?

The An Giang Tourism Association and Vietnam National Halal Company Limited signed a cooperation agreement on Halal standards to serve Muslim tourists visiting Phu Quoc - Photo: CHI CONG

On the afternoon of September 24th, An Giang province, in coordination with relevant units, organized a workshop on Halal standards - Muslim-friendly services.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Vu Khac Huy, Acting Chairman of the An Giang Provincial Tourism Association, said that Phu Quoc has many potentials and advantages in attracting Muslims. This international tourist market has great potential for Phu Quoc's island and coastal tourism industry.

"We hope that through today's workshop, tourism businesses in Phu Quoc will gain a better understanding of Halal culture and standards, from cuisine to friendly communication, in order to serve Muslim tourists from India, Malaysia, Indonesia… and the Middle Eastern market," Mr. Huy said.

Muslims visiting Phu Quoc - Photo: CHI CONG

According to the An Giang Department of Tourism, in the first nine months of 2025, An Giang welcomed nearly 20 million visitors. Of these, the Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone received over 6.5 million visitors, including over 1.2 million international tourists, with total tourism revenue estimated at over 51,000 billion VND.

From the beginning of 2025 to the present, this beautiful island has welcomed approximately 96,000 Indian tourists and 36,000 Malaysian tourists.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Thanh, Deputy Director of the An Giang Department of Tourism, noted that the market of international tourists, particularly Muslims, is growing in Phu Quoc. This market is relatively new to An Giang's tourism industry and is projected to experience strong growth this year.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has recently developed and published national standards for tourism services that are friendly to Muslims. This creates favorable conditions for An Giang to welcome this type of tourist.

"We suggest that the An Giang Tourism Association and its suppliers step up their efforts to promote and actively learn about and understand the regulations on Halal certification to better serve Muslims," ​​Mr. Thanh emphasized.

What are the Halal standards for serving Muslim customers?

Mr. Tran Van Tan Cuong, Director of Vietnam National Halal Company Limited, reported that the global Muslim population is increasing at an average rate of 1.5%.

By 2050, the world's Muslim population is expected to reach approximately 2.8 billion people. Among these, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have large Muslim populations.

"Muslim standards are quite unique, such as food and drink free of prohibited substances; Halal hotel rooms comply with Islamic law, are alcohol-free, and have separate areas for men and women."

"Based on the above standards, businesses in Phu Quoc catering to this market need to cooperate with each other to ensure Halal standards are met and to better serve customers," Mr. Cuong suggested.

CHI CONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/khach-quoc-te-nhon-nhip-den-phu-quoc-du-lich-20250924154249559.htm