Istanbul Hosts Major World Halal Summit & OIC Expo

Istanbul is gearing up for the 9th World Halal Summit and the 10th Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Halal Expo, a cornerstone event slated for November 23-26, poised to attract industry leaders and key players in the burgeoning halal market. This summit and expo, a pivotal nexus for the halal industry, are projected to bring together 500 exhibitors from across 40 countries, reinforcing Istanbul’s status as a dynamic global hub for halal products and services.

Endorsed by Turkuvaz Media Group, the parent of Daily Sabah, the upcoming Istanbul Halal Expo is anticipated to be a premier event for commercial partnerships, showcasing the potential of Türkiye’s halal market. With an estimated value exceeding $7 trillion, the halal market is on a trajectory to hit the $10 trillion mark within the next half-decade, according to Yunus Ete, the World Halal Summit Council’s head.

Ete emphasized the expo’s role as a critical platform, featuring top-tier companies specializing in halal food, food technology, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and modest fashion. This year, the expo is also set to expand its footprint by incorporating sectors such as Islamic finance and halal tourism, meeting rising demand in these areas.

Positioning itself within the “Century of Türkiye” vision and aiming for a $300 billion export milestone by 2025, Türkiye has been diversifying its trade horizons and intensifying its export quality. As part of this strategy, the halal market emerges as a promising frontier, with Türkiye, Indonesia, and Malaysia securing spots among the top 20 halal product exporters, as noted in the OIC Halal Economy Report.

Highlighting Muslim-majority countries’ food expenditure, which soared past $1.07 trillion in 2022, Ete projected a surge to $1.5 trillion by 2026. This upswing opens lucrative avenues for production, investment, and export within the OIC nations, alongside escalating consumer interest in healthy, halal, and organic products.

The previous year’s expo drew 446 exhibitors from 39 countries, alongside 31,905 attendees. For the current year, expectations are set higher, with over 500 exhibitors and a visitor count anticipated to exceed 40,000, including 10,000 international guests.

Ete also shed light on the synergy between the World Halal Summit and the expo, noting that this year’s summit will explore the theme “Gateway to the Global Halal Economy: Realize and Unleash the Potentials.” Complementing the event is the International Chefs Championship, which has been a concurrent highlight since 2018. This year, the culinary competition is set to be exceptionally grand, with around 1,000 chefs anticipated to showcase their culinary artistry.

The Istanbul Halal Summit and Expo stand as a testament to the city’s and Türkiye’s expansive role in the global halal economy, signaling a transformative period in the international halal market with Istanbul at its heart.