Korea to hold the first Halal Restaurant Festival in November

South Korea is stepping up to expand its Halal services for Muslim tourists with introduction of Halal Restaurant Week, which will be held from November 1st to December 10th.

Halal industry in Korea has gained momentum when President Park Geun-hye urged Korean businesses to pay more attention to Halal markets in early 2015. Ever since, the number of Halal certified products have grown by leaps and bounds; Muslim friendly services and facilities have become easier to access.

Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO) will be holding Halal Restaurant Week from 1st of November to 10th of December in order to accommodate Muslim tourists with necessary information about Muslim friendly restaurants across the country, as well as various events and benefits.

Coupon booklets will be distributed to Muslim tourists during the event at Incheon Airport, Insadong, and appointed tourist information center, as well as at KNTO branch offices in Muslim countries. Exchange tickets will be made available for download on Visit Korea website to exchange with a physical copy.

Booklets will contain information regarding 97 appointed Muslim Friendly restaurants in various parts of Korea, along with coupons for buy one get one for free items, discount menu items, free food or beverages and etc. Souvenirs and Halal certified product samples will be available as well.

Participating restaurants will be classified into 4 categories: Halal Certified, Self Certified, Muslim Friendly, Pork Free as mentioned in KTO’s food guidebook for Muslims. “Halal Certified” refers to restaurants officially certified by Korea Muslim Federation while “Self Certified” describes restaurants owned by Muslims. “Muslim Friendly” restaurants can sell alcohol and provide some or all Halal food options whereas “Pork Free” restaurants that do not offer Halal menu but do not also use pork.

Various opportunities to win prizes will be available for tourists who use coupons and share their experiences on their social media accounts as well.

Halal Restaurant Week is a token of Korean Government’s efforts to accommodate the needs of Muslim tourists and is a sign for a more Muslim Friendly Korea.