Hong Kong to have first halal-certified restaurants under Q-mark scheme by year end

HONG KONG, China (MNTV) – Hong Kong has moved closer to having its first batch of halal-certified restaurants under the city’s Q-mark certification scheme by the end of this year, with the finance chief insisting the next step is to expand international promotional efforts targeting Muslim tourists, reports SCMP.

Commerce experts on a panel exploring halal markets also emphasised that Hong Kong businesses should learn more about Middle Eastern nations and traditions rather than viewing Islamic countries as a single entity.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said the rise of the halal economy reflected a wider shift and signalled the growing economic influence of the Global South. 

“We are working to ensure that our tourism and hospitality sector is increasingly welcoming to Muslim travellers,” he said at the forum co-organised by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. 

“Our next step is to scale up our international promotion so that more Muslim travellers will discover what Hong Kong has to offer.”

Chan noted that in the first eight months of this year, Hong Kong welcomed 54,000 visitors from the Middle East, a nearly 40% increase year on year.

He also said Hong Kong was well-positioned to support the growth of Islamic finance and was attracting professionals with experience in the sector.

“We already have the legal and regulatory frameworks in place to support sharia-compliant instruments like sukuk,” Chan said, referring to bonds that comply with Islamic investment rules.

To enhance service quality and recognition of restaurants, the federation and the Islamic Community Fund launched the Hong Kong Q-Mark Halal Scheme in August.

The scheme is designed to help Muslim residents and tourists easily identify high-quality halal dining options.

Federation chairman Anthony Lam Sai-ho revealed that the first batch of restaurants receiving Q-Mark halal accreditation should be ready to welcome guests by the end of the year or by the first quarter of 2026.

“We hope this will be a start. These restaurants would have a first-mover advantage, and Q-Mark-accredited restaurants would eventually be all over Hong Kong,” he said.

“Muslim tourists would be able to find places to eat easily, not just Lanzhou beef noodles.”

Lam noted that the Vocational Training College offered halal cooking workshops to teach local chefs how to prepare Hong Kong delicacies without using pork or lard.

“Many tourists want to try our famous dim sum, so we have to provide a safety net for our Muslim customers to eat Chinese food with peace of mind,” he said.

Lawmaker Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, who represents the chamber in the legislature, agreed, saying Hong Kong businesses were wrong to think serving a Muslim consumer base would be challenging. 

“We have a large Islamic population on the mainland, and every Chinese city has halal restaurants,” he said.

“Hong Kong businesses could easily get materials across the border. Do not be misguided into thinking it’s difficult.”