DAVAO CITY (MindaNews 12 Apr) – A three-day Philippine Halal Trade and Tourism Expo is scheduled in Davao City from May 2 to 4, 2019, an official of the organizing committee said on Friday.
Marilou Ampuan, a trustee of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), said on Friday that she hopes the expo, the fourth since 2015, would gather more domestic and international buyers and sellers.
She said that during the opening day, the expo will be held at the Seda Hotel. It will be graced by international speakers, including an official from the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) who will speak on “Halal International Industry: Growth, Issues, and Solution.”
A representative from Crescent Rating, the world’s leading authority on halal-friendly travel, meanwhile, will talk on “Halal 101 – Awareness, Understanding, and Acceptance for a Remarkable Growth in Halal Tourism Industry.”
A business-to-business matching session will be held on the first day where delegates from Indonesia and Malaysia have already confirmed attendance, according to Ampuan.
From May 3 to 4, she said at least 40 to 50 exhibitors, composed of local and international small and medium enterprises (SMEs), would be joining the expo at the Abreeza Ayala Mall to showcase halal-certified products and tourism services.
Various agencies will also present their plans on halal development in the Davao Region. Among the is the Department of Science Technology, which will introduce “Halal and science technology programs.”
She said the agency launched a halal laboratory last year that was intended to encourage more local SMEs into halal venture.
Ampuan encouraged more local businesses to put up Muslim-friendly establishments in the city, acknowledged by the Department of Tourism as the first halal/Muslim friendly destination in the Philippines, as the city expects more visitors coming from the Middle East with the launching of Qatar Airways’ Qatar-Davao City flights in July.
“We are very happy. Qatar is a Muslim country. It is about time to double our effort because of this halal, Muslim-friendly destination. We encourage the public … to please support our halal advocacy,” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)