Taipei City Government

According to the 2018 Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) report, Taiwan now ranks fifth on the list of Muslim-friendly non-OIC tourist destinations—the first time for the island to break into top five. Seeing the improvement as encouragement, as the destination of choice for international visitors to Taiwan, Taipei City will keep up its effort in making the city even more Muslim-friendly.
 
According to Commissioner Chen Su-yu of the Department of Information and Tourism (TPEDOIT), Taipei City Government has encouraged restaurants and hotels to achieve standards for Muslim/Halal friendliness and promoted “pork-free” and “non-alcohol” labelling among night market vendors to provide Muslim visitors and residents with a friendly and convenient environment.
 
While achieving Halal friendliness standards requires implementation of special practices which may differ from local customs, an increased number of restaurants are showing interest to become Halal-certified in light of the growing Muslim tourist market.
 
At this year’s Muslim Carnival which will take place on June 17 at Daan Forest Park, the municipal government will introduce vending machines that sell Halal certified foods—the first of its kind to be introduced in non-Muslim countries. The vending machine has received strong support from both JAKIM (the Malay agency responsible for the Islamic affairs) and the International Institute for Halal Research & Training (INHART). The facility has also attracted the interest of foreign vendors.
 
The initial installation of these vending machines targets universities and colleges with higher number of Muslim students. The city government will also seek to cooperate with enterprises to help create a Muslim-friendly environment. The foods sold in the machine will include sandwiches, hamburgers, and instant rice meals, with more options on the way.