Indian and Indonesian tourists love Vietnamese bread but...

(NLDO) – International visitors from India, Indonesia, and Malaysia have increased sharply, but Halal-certified foods, including bread, are still not plentiful.

This is the sharing of Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan, Head of Oriental Studies Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University), at the scientific conference "Vietnamese bread - world culinary value, spreading to five continents" organized by Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association in collaboration with Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Magazine, on March 23.

The workshop is an activity within the framework of the 3rd Vietnam Bread Festival/2025, taking place at Le Van Tam Park, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan, after the COVID-19 pandemic, international tourists are returning to Vietnam, including Muslim tourists (especially from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc.).

When coming to Vietnam, in addition to exploring landscapes, landscapes, and culture, tourists also have a great need to enjoy cuisine. However, Halal food in Vietnam is not yet popular, making it difficult for Muslim tourists to access.

"Many Muslim customers want to try Halal bread - a type of bread for Muslims in Vietnam and around the world, but it is not yet popular. Halal bread is similar to the common daily bread in Vietnam, but the ingredients used must comply with Halal standards in Islam" - Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tuan said.

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Therefore, there needs to be a specific strategy to gradually introduce Halal bread to serve the potential Muslim tourist segment. Developing Halal bread will contribute to promoting tourism and the economy. Not only with bread, experts suggest diversifying Vietnamese cuisine to meet the special needs of Muslims and thereby attract international Muslim tourists.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Phon Chanh Phengphouvanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Vientiane Capital (Laos), said that Vietnamese bread has been present in Laos since the 90s of the last century, mainly produced by the overseas Vietnamese community.

Currently, Vietnamese bread has become a popular dish, a type of fast food, becoming a characteristic of Vietnamese culinary culture in Laos.

"To build a more famous Vietnamese bread brand in the capital Vientiane, there needs to be a specific direction in preserving and modernizing the cultural identity of Vietnamese bread according to its own standards but suitable for the living context in Laos" - Mr. Phon Chanh Phengphouvanh said.

Mr. Phon Chanh Phengphouvanh shared at the workshop

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, as of March 23, "banh mi" has been recorded in the Oxford dictionary for 14 years. Since then, the name of Vietnamese banh mi has continuously risen in rank and has constantly developed to become more and more rich and attractive.

The 3rd Vietnam Bread Festival 2025 is taking place, an opportunity for diners to enjoy typical bread dishes of famous brands, opening up opportunities to develop culinary tourism associated with bread. In the photo: International visitors enjoy bread at the festival

Crowds of diners line up to buy bread at the festival taking place in District 1, from March 21 to 24.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/khach-an-do-indonesia-rat-me-banh-mi-viet-nam-nhung-196250323150159096.htm