There are more and more places in Croatia where you can buy and eat halal food.
At the beginning of next month, from 2 to 4 November, Opatija will host the first major international halal congress in Croatia, which will bring together the world’s leading halal institutions, manufacturers, service providers, customers and vendors, academic and research community, embassies, government institutions and representatives of other local and international institutions with the aim of exchanging experiences and presenting Croatia and the region as a new destination for tourists demanding halal standards, reports tportal.hr on October 10, 2016.
The third World Halal Day, after the ones held in Singapore and India, will be entirely dedicated to the halal market, halal tourism, halal food and nutrition, as well as Islamic banking and finance. This important congress will be attended by representatives from Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Mauritius, India, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.
“Centre for Halal Quality Certification registered in 2010, when we established halal standard in Croatia. Our founder is the Islamic Community in Croatia. Today, the centre is an independent institution, a recognized brand, and a great potential that attracts interest from non-Muslims as well, which can help Croatia attract investments and strongly boost domestic exports and tourism”, said Aldin Dugonjić, the head of the Centre for Halal Quality Certification in Croatia.
Speaking about the opportunities provided by this institution which issues certificates, he particularly emphasized the tourism industry, where halal as a brand can further contribute to turning Croatia into one of the most recognizable global destinations when it comes to these specific services.
He added that halal tourism represented 13 percent of global tourism, and according to the most recent indicators the value of the halal market is estimated in billions of dollars. He said that there are more and more hotels and restaurants in Croatia which seek or already have the halal certificate and “halal friendly” label. This certainly expands the tourist offer, not only to visitors of the Islamic faith who practice the principles of their faith, but also to others who recognize the halal values.
“It should be noted that tourists from the Middle East spend as much as 500 dollars more than the average guest from Europe. Speaking of halal as a brand and its recognition in tourism, I must point out that in Zagreb there are four halal hotels of the highest category, and there are additional certified hotels in the coastal areas, in Dubrovnik, Umag, Rovinj, Rijeka and Biograd”, said Dugonjić, adding that, in addition to halal food, these hotels provide for all the needs of Muslims, from a space for prayer to removing alcoholic beverages from hotel minibars. Hotels with halal certificates are regularly inspected by the Centre.
While halal certification in Croatia is currently focused on the food industry, more specifically on the meat and dairy industry, Dugonjić said that halal certification is being increasingly requested in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, since many substances found in cosmetic products of animal origin should also be regularly controlled.
Halal is also recognized by non-Muslim consumers who associate halal products as a guarantor of something that is healthy and of high-quality.
