Hong Kong may need to import halal food for all the Muslim tourists it aims to entice to the city, a minister said on Wednesday.

Plans for new measures to attract visitors from the Middle East and Southeast Asia were announced in last year's chief executive policy address.

On RTHK's Overview Policy programme, Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk said as Hong Kong develops into a Muslim-friendly tourist destination, halal food could be brought in from abroad.

"Hong Kong may not have many Muslims, but we need to make a lot of halal food. There are many Muslim countries in Asean, and we can attract restaurants and import food from these nations," he said.

Other government moves aimed at attracting more visitors from Muslim nations include encouraging hotels to set up worship facilities, and persuading taxi drivers to provide information in Arabic.