Iran official: Halal tourism solution to oil- dependent economy

'Halal, although an Islamic term, has found its place as a powerful new phenomenon over the past decades and more, not only in Muslim world but also in the entire globe, thanks to the advanced information technologies,' Mahmood Hashemi Shahroodi in a message on the opening of the International Halal Economy and Halal Tourism Conference.

The one-day international conference is underway in Tehran.

'The climax of the use of the concept Halal can be seen in spheres like economy and tourism, especially that a major part of touristic attractions and markets are located in the territories known as the Muslim world,' he added.

On the other hand, Muslims with a nearly 1.5-billion population comprise a major part of world tourists, he said, adding that the combination of the two factors has attracted the tourism industry across the world to the Muslim countries.

9156**1771

Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish