São Paulo – The city of Foz do Iguaçu launched the Muslim-Friendly Program on Wednesday evening (26) to strengthen halal tourism aimed at Muslim travelers. According to information published by the Foz do Iguaçu city government, the program is an initiative of the Islamic Beneficent Cultural Center (CCBI), in partnership with the city government and the local tourism sector.
The Muslim-Friendly Program provides for the certification of businesses through a seal identifying companies prepared to meet the needs and preferences of Muslim visitors. According to information on the city government’s website, the program aims to position Foz do Iguaçu as a leading destination for Muslim travelers and bring the local tourism sector closer to this market.
The city government said work to develop halal tourism began in 2021, when the municipality signed a memorandum of understanding with the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) and halal certifier Cdial Halal. Cdial certifies products and services that comply with Islamic rules for consumption, while the ABCC works to strengthen ties between Brazil and Arab countries.
In 2024, the municipality launched a Muslim-Friendly Guide with information on restaurants and hotels suitable for Muslim travelers.
“Now, with the introduction of the recognition seal for tourism businesses, the municipality is advancing in the development of an offering increasingly prepared to receive Muslim visitors and strengthen local tourism,” the city government said in a statement.
The launch ceremony was held at the Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Mosque, with the participation of religious leader Oussama El Zahed, Paraná Governor Carlos Massa Ratinho Junior, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Chambers Khaled Hanafy, Secretary-General and Vice President for International Relations of the ABCC Mohamad Orra Mourad senior consultant at the Union of Arab Chambers Sara El-Gazzar, and Director of Joint Arab Chambers Affairs at the Union of Arab Chambers Hoda Katchan.
Foz do Iguaçu has one of Brazil’s largest Muslim communities. The city lies on Brazil’s border with Argentina and Paraguay, in the tri-border area, and is home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Iguaçu Falls, with more than 275 waterfalls. Other attractions include Parque das Aves, which houses animals in a subtropical forest, and AquaFoz, an aquarium with more than 300 freshwater and saltwater species.
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Foz do Iguaçu launches halal tourism guide
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
