Philippines urged to expand 'Halal tourism'

MANILA - The Philippines should take advantage of its proximity to large Muslim markets such as Malaysia and Indonesia and boost its "Halal tourism," an analyst said Monday.

"I think the local education is pretty key in that and I think that has to continue. The second thing is developing those capabilities and capacities to have more halal-friendly services when it comes to hotels, restaurants, and other services," CrescentRating CEO Fazal Bahardeen told ANC's Early Edition.

The top two considerations for Muslim travelers are easy access to prayer facilities and the availability of Halal food, he said, adding some hotels in Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Boracay offer these.