FOOD TOURISM IN MALAYSIA

Food Tourism in Malaysia

Food Tourism in Malaysia

Introduction

Kandampully (2000) defines tourism as a unique product as it is composite in nature, an amalgam of the tangible and intangible that includes everything that tourists experience. Tourism has become an integral component of lifestyle and it has also become a major component of the economic prosperity of almost all countries.

Overall, the tourism and hotel industry in Malaysia showed an upward trend until the onset of financial crisis in 1997, SARS and the US-Iraq war in 2003. During the 1980s, the Tourist Development Corporation had engaged in publicity campaigns both locally and abroad to entice tourists to the country. By 1990, with the launching of “Visit Malaysia Year” campaign, the tourism industry had become the third largest source of income for foreign exchange. This was due to the development of new tourism products as well as improved promotion and marketing efforts. Ever since 1995, tourism earning has surpassed the target for the year 2000 of Ringgit Malaysia (RM) 8.36 billion in the National Tourism Plan. The tourism earnings amounting to RM24.22 billion were recorded in 2001 and the tourist receipts increased to RM 25.78 billion in 2002 (Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, 2003).

To spur growth in the tourism industry, investment approved for hotel and tourism-related projects has been increased more than three-fold from RM8.801 billion during the Sixth Malaysian Plan period to RM18.2 billion during the Seventh Malaysia Plan period. In terms of development allocation for tourism, it has increased from RM605.5 million in the Seventh Malaysia Plan to RM1,009 million in the Eighth Malaysia Plan (Economic Planning Unit, 2001). Sadi and Bartels (1997) believe that if this trend of tourism growth in Malaysia continues, it may surpass manufacturing sector, which, since 1987 has been the country's engine of growth. The expansion of the tourism industry, through its linkages, has contributed to growth in other related activities, particularly food and beverage, accommodation, entertainment and shopping.

Objective of the study

This study examines the level of satisfaction on hospitality in the hotels in Malaysia among the Asian and Western travellers. Cultural differences play a significant role in understanding differences between Asian and Western travellers, in terms of their evaluation on Malaysia's hotel services and facilities. Understanding hotel attributes are important criterion for hotel industry to tourists visiting Malaysia surfaced. Due to the fact that 62 per cent of the respondents are travelling on leisure, respondents' travel motives are of importance in affecting their ranking preferential factors. Few, if any, have studied the differences in travellers' perceptions about hotel attributes from an Asian point of view. Customer satisfaction is the focus point of this study on the hotel industry in Malaysia.

Contribution of the study

Income receipts from tourists is a vital source of income for Malaysia and directs the Malaysian economy to higher levels of growth. It is amazing how the hotel industry can generate such a major sum of profit to the country. Hence, we suggest ways to improve the hotel services, and outline factors that manage ...