Manila: Following its victory at this year's Halal in Travel Global Summit, the Philippines' tourism authorities declared on Saturday that the country is committed to promoting itself as a Muslim-friendly destination.

Muslim tourists are one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel market, and luring them to the Philippines is essential given the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the traditional tourist hotspots of Europe and China.

The Philippines' government declared last year that increasing foreign arrivals from the Middle East and other countries with a Muslim majority was one of its top priorities because it is expected that the Muslim travel market will reach a value of $225 billion by 2028.

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During the Halal in Travel Global Summit, a significant industry event, held in Singapore from May 30 to June 1, the efforts were recognised with the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year award to honour locations, organisations, businesses, and people who have significantly influenced the travel market for Muslims this year.

The Philippine Department of Tourism quoted Secretary Cristina Frasco as saying, "This award is an affirmation of our collaborative efforts towards positioning the Philippines as a preferred destination for Muslim travellers, and strategically developing our halal tourism portfolio across our regions.

"This global recognition also opens up enormous opportunities for our country to introduce our rich and diverse culture and heritage evident in our Muslim communities, and our immensely beautiful destinations, including Mindanao," Frasco said, referring to areas where the majority of the population is Muslim in the country.

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Approximately 5% of the 110 million people who live in the primarily Catholic Philippines are Muslims. The majority of them reside on the southern Philippine islands of Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago, which are renowned for their picturesque landscapes, white sand beaches, and turquoise waters.

While a lot of Muslim tourists search for eateries that serve food that is halal, or acceptable in accordance with Islamic law, the Philippine Department of Tourism has "a wide range of services and amenities" that are made to accommodate them.

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When accepting the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year award, tourism undersecretary Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar said: "We hope to continue the great strides on tourism promotion and economic boost in our country for our Muslim brothers and sisters who are arriving in the Philippines," she added, adding that Muslim visitors were welcome to explore the archipelago nation's hospitality and more than 7,000 islands.