Developing Halal Culinary Culture and Human Resource Competencies for Sustainable Tourism in Vietnam

The Halal tourism market in Vietnam holds substantial potential yet remains underexplored from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Despite the increasing number of Muslim travelers, there is a limited understanding of how Halal culinary culture intersects with service quality and destination competitiveness frameworks in non-Muslim contexts such as Vietnam. This study investigates the current state of Halal culinary culture and the human resource requirements necessary to support Muslim travelers. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 60 tourism and hospitality professionals across four major destinations, Halong, Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Danang, the study employs thematic analysis to explore perceptions, practices, and challenges in delivering Halal-compliant services. The analysis is guided by the Service Quality Model and the Destination Competitiveness Framework to examine both micro-level service delivery and macro-level destination factors. Findings reveal fragmented Halal supply chains, insufficient staff training, and limited policy coordination as key barriers. The study contributes to extending the Service Quality Model to culturally sensitive markets and offers practical implications for workforce development, certification policy, and sustainable Halal tourism growth in Vietnam. This chapter provides actionable insights for policymakers and tourism educators in emerging Halal destinations.