Thailand’s Halal Economy: New Opportunities for Thailand’s MICE Industry

When people think of “halal”, food or services for Muslim travellers are often the first things that come to mind. In today’s global economy, however, the halal economy extends far beyond these areas. It encompasses food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and medical products, health and wellness, tourism, fashion, media, as well as lifestyle products and services.

Each of these sectors brings together producers, buyers, investors, researchers, technology developers and specialists through international networks. The halal economy is therefore not merely a niche market serving a particular consumer group, but an economic system connected with trade, investment, standards, research and innovation across many countries.

According to EXIM BANK, citing the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2025/2026, Muslim consumer spending across six major economic sectors — food, travel, fashion, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and media and entertainment — reached approximately USD 2.6 trillion in 2024 and is projected to rise to USD 3.6 trillion by 2029. The halal food market alone is valued at approximately USD 1.5 trillion and continues to show strong growth potential.

For Thailand, the country’s strengths go beyond its ability to accommodate Muslim travellers. They also include a strong production base in food and consumer goods, scientific capabilities and certification systems, medical and healthcare services, a well-developed service sector, and infrastructure that connects Thailand with international markets.

These elements allow the halal economy to connect directly with the MICE industry through exhibitions, conferences, business negotiations, study visits and knowledge-exchange platforms, bringing international buyers, investors, specialists and business networks into direct contact with Thai entrepreneurs and Thailand’s business ecosystem.

Thailand has a strong foundation in food, agriculture, processing industries and logistics systems that have been developed over many years. These strengths connect with the halal market across the entire value chain, from raw materials, manufacturing processes and standards to packaging, transportation and access to international markets.

The Thai government views the halal economy as another way to build on Thailand’s role as the “Kitchen of the World”, combining the country’s food and manufacturing strengths with the development of halal standards, science, certification systems, logistics, digital trade and innovation.

Thailand’s strengths are therefore not limited to producing halal food for domestic consumption. They also include connecting Thai producers with the Global Halal Supply Chain, particularly across ASEAN, the Middle East and member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

These capabilities enable Thailand to play a role beyond that of a Halal Production Base and move towards becoming a Halal Business Gateway that connects the value chain from upstream to downstream — from farmers, raw-material suppliers, processing facilities, product developers, packaging, logistics and certification to buyers, investors and Muslim consumer markets worldwide.

From a MICE perspective, this creates an important opportunity to position Thailand as a Business Platform for the halal industry through exhibitions, international conferences, Business Forums, Trade Missions and Business Matching activities that bring buyers and partners from key markets — including the Middle East, ASEAN, South Asia and other Muslim markets — into direct contact with Thai businesses.

The development of Thai entrepreneurs is taking place alongside market connectivity. One example is the HALAL BRIDGE Program 2026, through which EXIM BANK works with partners in science, technology, finance and standards to prepare Thai businesses for international market expansion, from product development and certification to branding and Business Matching.

At Grand Halal Bangkok 2026, the programme brought 12 Thai businesses to test their products in the market and arranged more than 90 pre-scheduled business meetings. This reflects the role of exhibitions as platforms that connect product development, standards and market access.

For the MICE industry, this role extends beyond organising events. Trade platforms and business matching become part of the pathway that helps Thai entrepreneurs connect directly with international markets.

Although food remains the largest segment of the halal economy, today’s market encompasses a much broader range of products and services.

Cosmetics and personal care products are one example, with halal requirements applying to ingredients, manufacturing processes, storage, transportation and labelling. The same applies to pharmaceuticals and medical products, health and wellness, Muslim fashion, tourism and lifestyle products, each of which has its own requirements, standards and consumer trust considerations.

This diversity means that halal-related activities are not limited to Food Shows alone.

Thailand has the industrial foundations to support Halal Science Conferences, beauty and healthcare exhibitions, Halal Tourism forums, conferences on standards and supply chains, as well as Business Matching activities for businesses across a wide range of products and services.

Events already held in Thailand reflect this diversity. Mega Halal Bangkok 2026 covers food, fashion, beauty, healthcare, logistics and Fintech, while Grand Halal Bangkok 2026 connects food and beverages, Muslim fashion, tourism, healthcare and beauty with business negotiations and international networking.

Together, these platforms illustrate the halal economy as a Cross-industry Platform, where food, healthcare, tourism, technology and lifestyle sectors connect with the same market from different perspectives.

One of the defining characteristics of the halal market is that “trust” carries as much weight as product quality.

Buyers and consumers need to be able to verify that ingredients, production processes, storage and transportation comply with relevant requirements. Competition therefore extends beyond price, quality and product design to include standards, transparency and Traceability throughout the supply chain.

Thailand has a halal certification system administered through the Central Islamic Council of Thailand (CICOT), covering requirements, certification processes, the use of halal marks and documentation for products entering international markets, as well as coordination with halal authorities overseas.

At the same time, Thailand continues to develop expertise in Halal Science, including management systems, ingredient analysis, laboratory testing and tools that support industry, such as HAL-Q and knowledge relating to H Numbers, which help businesses manage risks associated with raw materials.

The combination of Science, Certification and Industry means that Thailand has more than products to showcase. It also has a Knowledge Ecosystem that can be developed into content for Conferences, Technical Sessions, Study Visits and exchanges among specialists.

Halal-related conferences can therefore cover a wide range of subjects, from standards, safety and certification to innovation, traceability, technology and the future of supply chains.

Thailand’s strong foundations in food, agriculture, health, wellness and medicine, together with its research and innovation capabilities, create opportunities for Cross-industry Collaboration between the halal sector and Health & Wellness, Biotechnology, Food Innovation and Digital Technology, helping to develop new products and services for Muslim markets worldwide.

MICE can help accelerate these opportunities by bringing International Conventions, Trade Exhibitions, Business Forums and Innovation Showcases to Thailand as platforms that connect manufacturers, researchers, startups, investors, buyers and standards specialists from different countries. As a result, events can go beyond knowledge exchange and lead to Business Matching, Technology Transfer, Investment and new Partnerships.

World HAPEX 2026, held in Hat Yai, Songkhla, from 30 July to 2 August 2026 under the theme “Halal Wellness and Innovation”, demonstrates another dimension of the connection between the halal economy and Thailand’s MICE industry.

The event combines an Exhibition, an International Conference and Business Matching activities within a single platform.

Its academic conference covers a broad range of subjects, including Halal Healthcare & Medical Sciences, Cosmetics & Personal Care, Food Science & Nutrition, Tourism, Hospitality & Wellness, as well as Digital Ecosystem, Sustainability, Standards and Consumer Insights.

These themes show that the halal economy has a body of knowledge and business content extending well beyond the food sector, supporting academic conferences, innovation showcases, trade and business networking.

Hosting the event in Songkhla also highlights the role that cities and regions can play in developing specialised events.

Bangkok is well positioned as an International Trade Gateway and a hub for large-scale events, while Southern Thailand has universities, halal institutions, businesses and cultural links with Muslim markets across ASEAN.

The distinctive strengths of each area therefore allow halal-related MICE events to take different forms and address a wide range of themes across trade, science, innovation and specialised industries.

The experience of international participants does not begin and end at the entrance to the exhibition hall.

Transportation, accommodation, food, religious practices, mobility within the city and post-conference activities are all part of the participant experience that organisers need to consider.

Thailand has developed information resources for Muslim travellers covering halal restaurants, mosques, accommodation, healthcare, transportation and the Halal Supply Chain for Tourism through the Thailand Halal Information Center. The Tourism Authority of Thailand also provides the Thailand Muslim Friendly Destination platform for locating halal restaurants, mosques and relevant hotels.

For the MICE industry, these resources and services can support the design of the Delegate Experience from the outset.

Organisers can plan Halal Catering, provide prayer facilities or communicate the locations of nearby mosques, select suitable accommodation, and design Incentive Programmes and City Experiences that align with the lifestyles and needs of Muslim travellers.

This readiness is important for Business Events because destination selection depends on more than the standard of meeting venues. It also reflects a destination’s ability to accommodate participants from different countries, cultures and backgrounds throughout their stay.

Thailand therefore has the elements needed to bring together its position as a Muslim-Friendly Destination with its readiness to host MICE events and support business objectives.

As the halal industry expands from food into Wellness, Healthcare, Cosmetics, Biotechnology, Tourism and Innovation, Thailand’s opportunity is no longer limited to being a production base. It also lies in serving as a connection point between Thailand’s capabilities and the global halal market, with MICE acting as one of the key mechanisms that makes this connection possible.

Bringing halal-related International Conventions, Trade Exhibitions, Business Forums and Trade Missions to Thailand can bring buyers, investors, specialists, associations and technology owners from major markets around the world into direct contact with Thai manufacturers, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovations within the same destination. These events create platforms for Business Matching, Knowledge Exchange, Partnerships and Investment that can continue to develop into business opportunities after the event concludes.

The strength of the halal economy for Thailand’s MICE industry lies in using business platforms to bring together capabilities that the country already possesses.

Thai producers can meet international buyers. Scientists and standards organisations can exchange knowledge with specialists. Businesses can test markets and develop products, while investors can gain first-hand exposure to Thailand’s products, talent, certification systems and supply chains within a single trip.

Mega Halal Bangkok 2026, Grand Halal Bangkok 2026 and World HAPEX 2026 are examples of events that reflect this ecosystem across multiple dimensions, from international trade platforms and Business Matching to the integration of exhibitions with knowledge in science, healthcare and innovation.

In this context, the MICE industry does more than bring travellers into Thailand. It also functions as a Market Access Platform that connects Thai businesses with the global halal market while making Thailand’s halal ecosystem more accessible to international buyers, investors, specialists and partners.

This direction is aligned with Thailand’s broader development of the halal economy, which places importance on standards, safety, science, innovation, trust and collaboration, alongside manufacturing capabilities and Thailand’s position as a link between ASEAN and Muslim markets.

Thailand’s Halal Economy is more than a niche market serving a particular group of consumers.

At the heart of the halal economy are quality, safety, standards, traceability and trust, all of which are increasingly important in international trade and the global economy.

Thailand has a range of interconnected strengths, from food and consumer-goods manufacturing, science and certification systems, medicine, health and wellness to tourism and services.

When these strengths are connected with Exhibitions, Conferences, Business Matching, Study Visits and Incentive Programmes, Thailand can play a role that goes beyond being simply a market or a destination. It can become a place where businesses and specialists from different countries come together to trade, exchange knowledge, test markets, build partnerships and develop new opportunities.

This is where the Halal Ecosystem and the MICE Ecosystem reinforce one another in tangible ways.

A halal ecosystem built on industry, standards, knowledge and markets creates content and compelling business reasons for attracting international events to Thailand. At the same time, MICE events connect Thai businesses with buyers, investors, specialists and networks from global markets.

The journey from a Muslim-Friendly Destination to a Gateway to the Global Halal Economy therefore represents another dimension of opportunity for Thailand’s MICE industry — one that builds on strengths Thailand already possesses and connects them in ways that create business value visible to the global market.

Credit: https://www.thailand.go.th/