AMID efforts to revitalise Malaysia’s tourism industry and bolster the nation’s currency, gastrodiplomacy emerges as a promising avenue. However, its full potential can only be realised through effective measures aimed at expanding its reach domestically and internationally.
As a diverse, multiethnic and multicultural melting pot in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is known for its myriad cultures, heritage, flora and fauna as well as wide array of food choices.
Renowned as “Asia’s Food Paradise”, Malaysia’s food culture thrives across bustling night markets, hawker stalls and upscale fine dining establishments. From iconic national dishes such as nasi lemak and roti canai to a fusion of Western and Peranakan cuisines, the culinary landscape offers a diverse and tantalising array of flavours.
This rich culinary landscape serves as the perfect canvas for the practice of “gastrodiplomacy”, a term coined by Paul Rockower, as a strategic tool that enables countries to communicate through cuisine. It involves utilising restaurants as cultural ambassadors to share heritage with local and foreign audiences.
This approach is often used by middle-power countries such as South Korea. For example, in 2009, South Korea launched its gastrodiplomacy efforts by doubling the number of Korean restaurants abroad, mainly in America, to boost its market reach.
Today, Korean cuisine has achieved widespread popularity not only in America but also globally, exerting a significant influence and making South Korea one of the top travel destinations for younger generations drawn to its rich culture, advanced science-technology and vibrant pop culture.
Channelling food as a potent communication tool is crucial for advancing national interests and nurturing international relationships.
Gastrodiplomacy is a strategic instrument employed by nations to showcase their distinctive gastronomic heritage and specialities, enabling them to differentiate themselves in the global arena and reinforce their brands, for example, Japan’s sushi, Korea’s kimchi and Thailand’s tom yum.
By enabling diasporic groups to spread cultural customs globally, gastrodiplomacy acts as a catalyst, promoting cultural identity, drawing visitors and strengthening diplomatic connections. This culinary diplomacy stimulates economic growth, especially in the rapidly expanding tourist industries as seen in South Korea.
Formidable opportunity for tourism industry
Malaysia’s diverse gastronomic choices appear to be one of the important elements propelling its tourist sector forward, in addition to being a source of income and an engine for economic expansion.
In a survey conducted by the Asean-Japan Centre, respondents gave a variety of reasons for choosing Malaysia as their travel destination, with “scenery and atmosphere” ranking highest (36.0%), “natural scenery” (33.3%) and “food ingredients and cuisine” (33.1%) among the top three.
As statistics by Tourism Malaysia indicate, from January to September 2023, Malaysia received 14,467,037 tourists.
For 2024, the Madani government is expected to attract 27 million tourists, with receipts of RM102.7 billion to revitalise the tourism industry while boosting the national economic performance.
In terms of employment, the gastronomy industry significantly boosts job opportunities in the tourism sector. For example, according to the latest statistics from Tourism Satellite Account, in 2022, 23.4% (3.6 million) of the Malaysian workforce were associated with the tourism industry, with the food and beverage (F&B) sector contributing 35.1% of the workforce.
Expanding halal economy
Positioned as one of the biggest halal hubs globally, Malaysia is known for its exceptionally high halal standards, overseen by the Islamic Development Department.
There is a strong demand for halal goods and services across a wide range of sectors, such as F&B, personal care and cosmetics, textiles, finance, e-commerce, hospitality and tourism.
Therefore, our halal economy should be positioned as one of our primary agenda to attract Muslim tourists. According to the Arts, Tourism and Culture Ministry, there were 2.12 million Muslim travellers that visited Malaysia in the previous year, and they spent RM5.37 billion in total.
On the global stage, the 2023 Global Muslim Travel Index underscored Malaysia and Indonesia as the leading destinations in the Muslim travel market, garnering top ranks as preferred destinations among Muslim travellers worldwide.
Challenges in navigating gastrodiplomacy
Notwithstanding the allure of Malaysian gastronomy, significant obstacles loom in this industry’s success. These issues often emerge at grassroots levels and have a significant impact on the culinary landscape.
One significant challenge facing the food industry is the lack of stringent enforcement of hygiene and food safety standards, contributing to the prevalence of foodborne illnesses, such as food poisoning.
According to a report from the Health Ministry, the incidence rate of food poisoning has doubled within a year. In 2021, the rate stood at 18.40 cases per 100,000 population in Malaysia, but by 2022, it had surged to 43.77 cases per 100,000.
The rise in food poisoning incidents is a serious indication of potential negligence among food handlers in adhering to proper food handling protocols and standards. It is imperative to determine whether this neglect is a result of oversight or if other contributing factors are at play.
Furthermore, the trend of scamming foreign tourists has gained prevalence in our society. There have been several incidents where foreign tourists have been overcharged and deceived, resulting in negative experiences for them. Recently, a tourist, who is a YouTuber, documented that he was overcharged for a regular beef burger in the city centre.
Given the influence of social media, such incidents demand serious attention. When they are showcased on social platforms, they not only tarnish Malaysia’s reputation but also have a detrimental effect on the tourism industry.
Gastrodiplomacy also provides an avenue for countries to market agricultural products through nation-branding. However, this effective measure is still underutilised in Malaysia.
Boasting a rich variety of tropical fruits, spices and other agricultural commodities, Malaysia holds a significant appeal to international markets. Through the strategic marketing of these items as an extension of its national brand, Malaysia has the potential to further solidify its standing as a premier supplier of exotic produce and draw in more global importers and customers. However, we are losing this opportunity to other nations due to our lack of successful implementation.
Accessing the international market to export gastronomic products and services can pose challenges for Malaysia. Some of the reasons for these challenges include limited brand recognition, underdeveloped market presence, concerns regarding product/service quality and consistency and significant competition from neighbouring countries that have advanced their national food security strategies more effectively.
While the government has introduced positive initiatives such as the visa-free scheme for travellers from India and China as well as the latest CityPass initiative to bolster the tourism industry, it is essential for Malaysia to consider these measures as benchmarks for enhancing its competitiveness within the region.
Following are the proposed policies presented by Emir Research to relevant stakeholders aimed at enhancing Malaysia’s gastronomy industry from the grassroots level:
Enforcing regulations on rising food prices: This involves monitoring, educating consumers, conducting inspections, legal enforcement, collaborating with stakeholders and ensuring transparency. These efforts, geared towards curbing price gouging, empowering consumers and guaranteeing equitable access to affordable and nutritious food, demand a comprehensive and coordinated strategy from enforcement agencies.
Supporting small-scale producers: They are the key drivers of national food security. To maintain sustainable gastrodiplomacy, it is essential to provide seminars, training courses, technical support, viable financing options and incentives such as rent ceilings and permanent rental contracts to small-scale producers. Additionally, facilitating the adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution agrotech is crucial. This includes improving their knowledge and abilities in areas such as product development, marketing and food safety regulations.
Introducing public-private marketing approach: This is to facilitate market access and promote the goods of small-scale producers. Organise events such as food festivals and farmers’ markets that appeal to domestic and foreign consumers. Marketing campaigns can highlight their unique stories and flavours, attracting tourists seeking authentic culinary experiences. In addition, collaboration with tourism agencies and hospitality establishments should integrate small-scale producers into tour itineraries, further stimulating demand for their produce.
Expand reach of Malaysian goods worldwide: Make them more widely available in restaurants beyond the country’s borders, especially in China and the Middle East. Creating Malaysian-themed restaurants in cities such as Beijing not only promotes cultural exchange but also generates curiosity and enthusiasm for Malaysian food. While this may be a long-term strategy, the benefits are substantial. Countries such as South Korea and Thailand have successfully implemented similar approaches, resulting in robust gastrodiplomacy policies and support for their currencies.
Extend support and provide assistance to Malaysian delegates, students and youth councils: This will help efforts to showcase Malaysia’s rich culture and diverse specialities encompassing cuisine, traditions, landmarks and more.
In summary, the significance of gastronomy’s role in shaping Malaysia’s nation-branding should not be underestimated, overlooked or neglected. South Korea dedicated over two decades to reach its current success in gastrodiplomacy.
Thus, this represents a long-term strategy and involves the implementation of proactive measures to elevate our nation’s profile through gastrodiplomacy.
The writer is a research assistant at Emir Research, an independent think tank focused on strategic policy recommendations based on rigorous research. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
