Hong Kong may design new halal certification system as part of wider effort to lure Middle Eastern visitors
- Current system is extremely strict, which makes number of restaurants that qualify very limited, Tourism Board says
- One of board’s major focuses is to develop Middle East as inbound tourism market in line with Belt and Road Initiative, according to executive director
Hong Kong may design a new halal certification system for restaurants as part of the city’s efforts to further bolster ties with the Middle East and attract more leisure and business travellers from the region.
Tourism Board executive director Dane Cheng Ting-yat said on Monday authorities were considering establishing a new scheme next year that was “more suitable for Hong Kong”.
“The current system is extremely strict, which makes the number of restaurants that qualify very limited,” he said.
Hong Kong does not currently have a government halal certification system. Instead, the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong is responsible for granting certificates and ensuring businesses adhere to the requirements through unannounced inspections.
According to the organisation, meat deemed “haram” or prohibited includes pork, dog, cat, tiger, lion and monkey. Animals that are permitted to be eaten, such as chickens, cows and sheep, should be slaughtered in accordance with sharia law.
Halal food must also be prepared separately from non-permitted items to avoid cross-contamination, while all cooking tools and utensils must be washed by a Muslim staff or trained personnel.
According to the Tourism Board, 105 eateries across the city have been deemed halal certified premises by the Fund.
Cheng said one of the board’s major focuses in the coming year was to develop the Middle East as an inbound tourism market, in line with the Belt and Road Initiative to create a China-centred trade network covering more than 100 countries.
“If you take a look, close to half of the population within belt and road countries is Muslim, so under the initiative, promotions geared at this community are important to us.”
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One of the biggest challenges to better tapping that market that Hong Kong faced related to dining, he added.
“When travelling, one of the things they are most concerned about is their diet,” he said. “But in Cantonese cooking, pork is a staple in the kitchen, including the use of lard.”
The board said it would hold briefing sessions and seminars to encourage more industries to learn about basic Muslim needs and develop accreditation for various services.
“This way, our Muslim guests can experience Hong Kong as the food paradise it is.”
A number of government officials and lawmakers have been calling for increased cooperation with Middle Eastern nations in recent months.
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Tourism minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung told lawmakers in January that 58,500 visitors from the Middle East had come to Hong Kong since its borders fully reopened after the pandemic last year, accounting for 0.8 per cent of all arrivals not from mainland China. The number is expected to increase this year.
The board also said on Monday the monthly pyrotechnic and drone shows first announced in the finance chief’s budget last month were set to begin in May, while a revamp and a new round of promotions for the Temple Street Night Market would be launched in April.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po set aside HK$1.09 billion in the budget to boost the local tourism trade.
