Prioritizing Muslim-Friendly Tourism Factors in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam

A groundbreaking study identifies halal infrastructure and human resource development as the top priorities for transforming Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, into a Muslim-friendly tourism destination. Using a hybrid fuzzy analytic hierarchy process-ViseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (multi-criteria optimization) framework, the research synthesized insights from 35 experts to create a quantifiable roadmap for heritage managers. The findings reveal that intangible capabilities, such as cultural intelligence, provide a more sustainable competitive advantage than replicable assets in niche markets with high cultural distance. This capability-driven approach offers a strategic solution for balancing market diversification and site integrity while successfully engaging the global Islamic travel market.

Thi Nguyen, H. Q. (2026). Prioritizing Muslim-Friendly Tourism Factors in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. International Journal of Asian Business and Information Management, 17(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijabim.406102