Mr. Manoharan Periasamy, the Director General of , inaugurated the Malaysia Food and Culture Festival in Shanghai today. The festival will be ongoing from the 25th to the 26th of May 2024 at Pudong Shanghai Qiantan Taikoo Li, Wood Zone L1, and from the 24th to the 31st of May 2024 at Shangri-La Qiantan Shanghai.

This festival is jointly organized by the Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China (Shanghai Office) and the Malaysian Consulate General (Tourism Section), focusing on the theme “Malay Heritage” to showcase Malaysia’s vibrant history, culture, and modern lifestyle.

The festivities at Pudong Shanghai Qiantan Taikoo Li are expected to attract a large audience over the weekend with a range of cultural activities, food tastings, and travel packages available throughout the event. Special traditional dances and performances by Malaysia’s various ethnic groups, specially crafted by Istana Budaya (Palace of Culture), will also be featured.

Meanwhile, the second part of the festival at Shangri-La Qiantan Shanghai will spotlight Malaysia’s diverse culinary delights to allure more Chinese tourists to choose Malaysia as their destination of choice. Emphasizing the culinary experience, Tourism Malaysia and Shangri-La Qiantan, Shanghai will present a Malaysian cuisine buffet from the 24th to the 31st of May 2024, featuring chefs from Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

“Malaysia’s gastronomy is known to be a one-of-a-kind experience through its explosion of flavours and the cultural history that comes with every dish. Showcasing our local cuisine is one of the best ways to showcase our identity, at the same time luring potential tourists FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 58/2024 /2022 to visit Malaysia for the ultimate experience perfected with the local touch,” said Mr. Manoharan Periasamy.

Malaysia Airlines also lends its support towards the organising and promotion of this festival. Mr. Dersenish Aresandiran, Chief Commercial Officer of Airlines from Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) said, “Malaysia Airlines and Tourism Malaysia are now the strategic partners in the international market. We look forward to participating in the Malaysia Food and Cultural Festival in China as the official airline partner and we are honoured to play our part in promoting tourism and strengthening our nations’ connections. In conjunction with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of friendship between nations, we offer special fares for our guests from China to Kuala Lumpur and other attractive destinations in Malaysia.”

Tourism Malaysia’s involvement in the ITB China travel tradeshow in Shanghai is part of a broader initiative linked to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia. The robust bilateral relationship between these nations extends across political, economic, and socio-cultural spheres.

Tourism Malaysia’s efforts, facilitated by its offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, focus on bolstering promotions alongside collaborations with travel agencies and airlines. This strategic approach aligns with the increasing number of flights—currently at 368 per week—between China and Malaysia due to new international routes announced by airlines based in both countries.

In terms of tourism targets, Malaysia aims to attract 16.1 million international tourists this year. China remains a key contributor to Malaysia’s tourism sector, with 1,474,114 Chinese tourists visiting in 2023 and generating RM8,827.75 billion in tourism revenue. Malaysia’s broader goal is to host 27.3 million international tourists and achieve RM102.7 billion in tourism receipts, with an anticipated 5 million arrivals from the Chinese market.