London Halal Forum discusses THY’s links to nearly 360 destinations

The Halal Forum, held in London on October 10–11, examined the transformation of the halal travel economy and ways to increase the value of destinations. A Turkish Airlines representative explained that the company connects nearly 360 destinations worldwide and discussed Istanbul’s role in connecting with global destinations.

Scraper SystemOctober 11, 2026, 12:05 PM

London Halal Forum discusses THY’s links to nearly 360 destinations

The London Halal Forum, organized by the Halal360 Platform on October 10–11 at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London, has begun. The forum, organized by the platform established as a joint initiative of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development and the Halal Products Development Company, examined changes in the halal travel economy and the sector’s future.

THY’s global connectivity network

Dr. Melih Şükrü Ecertaş, an Independent Board Member and Executive Committee Member of Turkish Airlines, spoke at a session titled “The Halal Travel Economy: From Demand Signals to Destination Value.” Ecertaş said THY connects nearly 360 destinations worldwide and manages a large-scale, comprehensive ecosystem.

Ecertaş said the halal travel economy was undergoing a profound paradigm shift and that they wanted to adopt an innovative and proactive approach that increases the value of destinations and strengthens global connectivity.

Ecertaş said THY had become an important actor in shaping global transportation corridors. He said they were leveraging Istanbul’s geographic and cultural position to connect with global destinations within the halal travel economy.

Ecertaş said no single institution could meet all the needs of the travel experience and highlighted the importance of cooperation among tourism authorities, technology companies and halal travel organizations. Saying that THY also provides services aimed at halal tourism on board its aircraft, Ecertaş noted that compliance with halal standards and high-level service complement each other.

Services for Muslim travelers

Hafsa Gaher, a representative of the Halal Tourism Network, said the sector’s understanding of travel was undergoing a transformation. Gaher said the sector had moved from explaining the value of halal tourism to realizing the market’s true potential, adding that young people were increasingly forming a larger group within halal travel.

Fazal Bahardeen, CEO of Crescentrating and HalalTrip, emphasized the need to improve the quality of services for Muslim travelers. Bahardeen said travel infrastructure had developed in many countries and that destinations had begun expanding the services they offer Muslim travelers.

Mudathir Adesanya, CEO of IFING Media Limited, discussed the importance of reaching Muslim travelers through reliable content and digital platforms.

London Halal Forum discusses THY’s links to nearly 360 destinations