The Challenges Of Food Tourism In Malaysia Marketing Essay

Malaysia is a haven for delicious food and boosts many local delicacies (Fabulous Food 1 Malaysia, 2010). Thus, food can play a major role in attracting both domestic and international tourists to come to experience the destination, meanwhile share with others the joys of eating when travel. In such, it is essential for the government and private sector to enhance their cooperation in promoting Malaysian food to tourists.

1.1 Background

Food is one of the vital elements of human being to survive. Eating is one of our physiological needs even when outside our usual environment (Tikkaen, 2007). Now, food also acts as integral part of the tourist experience at a destination. It has assumed a prominent role in tourist decision-making and satisfaction, tourism products and place promotion strategies (Henderson, 2009). Thus, food is an important resource in tourism sector.

Food tourism can be defined as tourists’ involvement in food related activities at a destination in order to experience its culinary attributes. Since the age of post modernity, the experience of consumers plays the increasingly important role in economic and social life (Quan and Wang, 2004). Therefore, the relationship of food and tourism has received several attention from researchers, due to the benefit that it brings to local community, particularly in the economic sector. However, the characteristic of food tourism and specific challenges confronting providers vary from each destination to each other.

Even though, Malaysia offers many local food specialties with feature of multiracial culture in contribute to experience of consumers, but there is still lack of awareness of tourists towards Malaysia food. So, this proposal is to explore the SWOT analysis of food tourism in Malaysia in order to seek out the valuable information that can benefit food tourism development in Malaysia.

1.2 Problem statement

In most places of Malaysia, it is common to see many restaurants; snack bars and street/hawker food stalls in which tourist can discover vary tastes of food. So, it is believe that food has the potential to become a tourist attraction. Therefore, research proposal is essential to investigate the SWOT analysis of food tourism Malaysia to seek out valuable information that can benefit food tourism development in Malaysia. In this proposal, the SWOT analysis will be investigated with refers to research of other countries since Malaysia is insufficient research in food tourism. Therefore, this research will focusing on SWOT analysis of food tourism Malaysia to understand the current issues and challenges that face by food tourism Malaysia. Hence, improvement or action can be taken to resolve food tourism problems.

1.3 Purpose of the proposal

The purpose of this paper is to explore the issues and challenges of food tourism in Malaysia, which will focus on SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis. In this proposal, questions which need answering as follow:

What are local food specialties of Malaysia?

What are the factors that encourage tourist toward Malaysia food?

What are the factors that prevent involvement of tourist in food related activities in Malaysia?

In what extent of consumer satisfaction toward food in Malaysia?

1.4 Significance of proposal

Food tourism can be regard as visitation of tourists to a place for experience the food tasting. Food contribute lot of benefits to a country like having strategic importance in each national economy and enhance the visitor experience when travel. Therefore, this proposal will investigate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threat of food tourism in Malaysia.

This proposal will investigate the motivation of tourist in food tourism Malaysia. Understanding level interest of tourist in food tourism is crucial because it can use as tool for segmenting the market that facilitate the development of food tourism in a country and ensure the supplies meet the demands. Hence, it will add value to the strength for the food tourism.

Besides, this proposal will make contribution related to the marketing and promotion of food tourism. Understanding the different perspectives of food-related-business owners towards food tourism will aptly convey the challenges facing by them. Hence, it will serve as a guide to help navigate them in marketplace with incorporate with government. In addition, it also adds value to opportunities and reduces threat for food tourism development.

1.5 Objective

Several objectives been identified in order to conduct this research, which are:

1.5.1 To identify the strengths of food tourism in Malaysia then heighten it

1.5.2 To identify the weakness of food tourism then does improvement on it.

1.5.3 To identify the activities that may bring benefit to food tourism in Malaysia.

1.5.4 To identify the activities that will be threat of food tourism in Malaysia then reduce it.

2.0 Literature review:

The literature to be reviewed covers on food tourism in general. Firstly, this proposal will concise review the literature on food tourism that including the definition of food tourism, role of food in tourism, motivation of tourist in food tourism and importance of it to a country. Secondly, this proposal will review the literature on food culture and food tourism in Malaysia that including types of foods, places of food dining and food festival and food events in Malaysia. Thirdly, this proposal will review the literature on international tourist perspective on food tourism in Malaysia. Fourthly, this proposal will briefly review the literature on the issues that are concern by the consumers that including perception of tourist on food in term of quality and safety. Fifthly, this proposal will review the literature on challenges that face by tourism industry and suggest some challenges that may face by Malaysia in future.

Definition of food tourism

Based on different perspective of several researchers with regards to food tourism, the definition of food tourism is defined as below:

“Food and wine tourism represents a significant growth area as global reputation as a significant culinary and wine destination spreads.” (Shannessy, Minett & Hyde, 2008)

“Food tourism is defined as visitation to primary and secondary food producers, food festivals, restaurants and specific location for which food tasting and/or experiencing the attributes of specialist food production region are the primary motivating factor for travel.” (Hall and Mitchell, 2001, p.10)

“Food tourism can be referred to as travel to specific regions to sample cuisine unique to the area” (Ministry’s Of Tourism Malaysia, 2010)

Therefore, food tourism can be defined as tourists’ involvement in food related activities at a destination to experience its culinary attributes. For example, consume local food product, visit to a local market, and attend food conferences, trade fairs or food festival and so on.

Role of food in tourism

Food plays important role in our lives. It’s not only satisfied hunger or means to sustaining life but it is also a way for us to experience other cultures in foreign country. It can be a part of travel experience too. Quan and Wang (2003) also suggested that no matter whether trying different kinds of food is the main purpose for tourists to travel, food can at least provide extra opportunities for tourists to be in a more memorable and enjoyable holiday atmosphere than they expected. Furthermore, food also enhances destination attractiveness.

Next, food has a strategic importance in each national economy (Meler and Cerovic, 2003). It can bring economic incomes benefits to government and local community. For example, it encouraging entrepreneurship in which stimulating the food production activities for selling the local products to visitors. It can be seem in hawker food industry at Malaysia.

Motivation of tourist in food tourism

Food tourism can be regard as special interest tourism, which tourist has special interest in food as a travel motivation. “Food tourism may possibly be regarded as an example of culinary, gastronomic, gourmet or cuisine tourism.” (Hall and Mitchell, 2001, p.10). Further on, Hall and Mitchell (2001), added that the importance of a special interest in food as a travel motivation also can be divided four interests, which are high interest (gourmet and cuisine tourism), moderate interest (culinary tourism), low interest (rural/urban tourism), and no interest. The explanation as below:

1) High interest (gourmet and cuisine tourism): travelling to a destination with the primary motive being a specific restaurant, market or winery. All, or nearly all, tourist activities are food related.

2) Moderate interest (culinary tourism): visiting a local market, festival, restaurant or winery once you have arrived at a destination as part of a wider range of lifestyle activities.

3) Low interest (rural/urban tourism): visiting to a local market, winery, or restaurant because it is ‘something different’.

4) No interest: visiting a familiar restaurant while you are travelling because you have to eat. (Hall and Mitchell, 2001, p.11)

The understanding level interest of tourist in food tourism is crucial because it can use as tool for segmenting the market that facilitate the development of food tourism in a country and ensure the supplies meet the demands. Hence, it will add value to the strength for the food tourism.

Besides, there is another approach can be used in segmenting the tourists for food tourism by using Maslow hierarchy of needs in the basis of classification based on empirical findings by Tikkanen (2003).

Basically, Maslow hierarchy of needs is a framework in describes the human needs in his classic model. The hierarchy of needs begins at the bottom with basic physiological needs, and progress upward through safety, belongingness (social needs), esteem and self-actualization. Usually, tourists will fulfill the bottom needs first and try to achieve the high level after bottom needs been satisfied. Basic physiological needs encompass of food, water, clothing and shelter. Safety needs comprise of protection and security. Belongingness (social needs) consist of love, friendship and affiliation with others. Esteems needs consists of desire for status and success and last self-actualization is means to self-fulfillment.

From here, it seems that food is an essential element for human to survive particularly, but in reality it has much more value than that. Based on research by Tikkanen (2003), Maslow hierarchy of needs can be used to classify the sectors of food tourism. Below is the sum up of empirical findings indicates that when classifying food tourism sectors by apply the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

Figure: Sectors of food tourism in Finland classified by the hierarchy needs

(Tikkanen, 2003)

Based on figure above, it indicates that food tourism is closely related to needs. First, physiological needs are related to food itself. Besides, it is the core motivation for food tourism. Tourists are mostly take part in activities like cross-border food shopping and picking tourism. Second, safety needs are in the form of food safety and hygiene knowledge. Tourists are concern with the food safety when they are travelling especially in unfamiliar environment. They are often participates in food safety conference. Third, social needs are involve interaction with other people. Tourists’ activities such as attend food event and visitation to vineyard. Forth, esteem needs are related to culinary food tourism. Its activities include food ways and provincial ala carte projects. At this phase, tourists will offers with new culture culinary to give them a memorable experience. Fifth, self-actualization needs are in the form of increases one experience or knowledge and competencies related to food. So, tourists are attending trade fairs and international food conference.

From this review, we can have better understanding of the needs of tourists. Therefore, it can allow marketers to effectively target specific segment target market and does not oversupply.

Importance of food tourism

Food is an important resource in tourism. Most of tourists spend one-third of their overall expenditures into foods and beverages when travel (Meler and Cerovic, 2003).

According to Henderson (2009), contribution made by food to tourism is wide, such as use of food as tourism product, food tourism as an instrument of destination and general development. Besides, marketing of food to tourists also boost image of a country. As such, Malaysia as multiracial country may boost up image through marketing of food with links of different culture of races.

Importance from food tourism includes contribution to income in which enhance the GDP country and state, provide job employment and job opportunities particularly in food and beverage, and provide quality of goods and services in which generate competition to the market so tourist have more choices in selection of products to encourage repeated consumers.

Food culture and food tourism in Malaysia

Food tourism in Malaysia is at introductory stage. So, lack of research done at Malaysia. However, Malaysia has potential to become “food capital” around the world. Currently, Malaysia consists of variety kinds of food like local food, fast food, western-food, Thai food and so on. The yummy food and friendly people will make Malaysia an ideal destination for international tourists.

A research has been done Shahrim & Chua (2009) in determine Malaysia as a culinary tourism destination based on international tourists perspective. They mention that the uniqueness of Malaysia food could be a chance for Malaysia to become a culinary tourism destination among Asian countries. In addition, Malaysian food encompasses multiple combination of flavors will further stimulate international tourist come to enjoy the food. Then, it will become make Malaysia to become food capital among the world.

Malaysian food consists of local food that often associates with culture of variety races, such as Nasi Lemak and Laksa (Malay), Bak Kut Teh (pork soup form Chinese), Roti Canai (Indian) and so on. At the same time, Malaysia also serves non-local foods like western food and fast food. In Malaysia, there is a lot of Franchise fast food outlet like KFC, Pizza Hut, and Mc. Donald and so on around the region, which serve to foreign tourist with their familiar tastes. Hence, it can give ease option for tourist who doesn’t like to consume local food. In addition Malaysia also have outlet that sells Hong Kong food (Dim Sum and others Cantonese specialties) and Thailand food (Tom Yam) , Vietnam food, Japanese food (Sushi) and so on to meet different needs of tourist.

Other than that, places to eat food also are a factor that encourage tourist to consume food in Malaysia. As mention above, Malaysia has a lot of franchise outlet of fast food restaurants; it also has hawker food stalls, night markets, bars and others. Hawker food stalls easily found in Malaysia and is the preference place for most Malaysian due to cheap price foods. It can found along the street. Normally, it sells cuisine and local food. While night market is a place that not only sell foods or drinks, but it also sell clothes, CDs, books, fresh fruits and vegetables in Malaysia. It always has been a place for social interaction among retailers and consumers. It is also a group of street vendors that sell prepared food. It often called as “Pasar Malam” with same meaning to night market by Malaysian. Next, bars are frequently found at city area. It usually visits by people who seek for relaxation. For additional information for restaurants, it serves the foods and beverages according to the styles of different cultures.

Food festivals in Malaysia

Malaysia has different races, thus the celebration of festivals vary among each others. For instance, Hari Raya is celebrated by Malay, Chinese New Year is celebrated by Chinese, Deepavali is celebrateed by Indian. During festivals, they will prepare traditional foods. Their traditional food such as cuisines must be well-prepare during celebration. Besides, there is also many other ethnicities or commonly known as indigenous people such as Kadazan and Iban that live largely in rural areas of the country, which is in Sabah and Sarawak. They are celebrating Hari Gawai with means to celebration of reaped a good harvest from their crops. On the festival day, there will be dances and sings associate with food.

In Malaysia, there is cross-culture exchange, which “open-house” notion arises among Malaysian. It is a Malaysian cultural affair during festive seasons. During festival, Malaysian will like to open house to visitors like friends, neighbors, and relatives. After that, guests will be welcomed and served by host with cookies and traditional delights which is home cooked or bought at the marketplace.

Furthermore, this notion now become popular due to Ministry of Malaysia also takes part in this very Malaysian culture of open house. It means that anyone has chance to walk in and take part of the spread of food on offer with uncertainty. Simultaneously, they can share the happiness of hosts’ even cultural and racial differences. It is a time for all stays together to enjoy delicious Malaysian’s local foods. In other countries, this notion may quite difficult to found. Nowadays, it participates by more tourist as open house notion begin launce by ministry to encourage more come to celebrate together as 1 Malaysia.

Food events in Malaysia

Start from year 2007, Malaysia has organized several events in international level to promote food products. For instance, KL Coffee & Tea Festival 2007, Epicure Malaysia 2008, Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF)2009, Malaysia International Halal Food Showcase (MIHAS) 2010 and so on. Mostly, the event organized purpose is to bring together the suppliers, retailers, producers, and food service expert to have social interaction among each other. Sometimes, showcase of latest equipment and related technologies also be set up at that time.

Food events not only provide an excellent sales and net working opportunity for retailers, restaurants, wholesalers, suppliers, distributors and manufacturers, but it also increase the awareness of tourists about food service in Malaysia as well. Hence, food events can be an opportunity for Malaysian to explore the latest of food service around the world.

Government involvement in food event made the event successful all the times. For example, regulation made the interest of stakeholders of that event is being secure. Besides, it also ensures the progression of event run smoothly without any disrupt. Government involvement also gives the confidence to public meanwhile increase awareness of other for food events. In addition, promotions by Tourism Malaysia will make better recognizable of those events as these events that lead to effective marketing strategies in Malaysia.

International tourist perspective on food tourism in Malaysia

Understands the perception of international tourist towards food in Malaysia is essential because it will ensure the supply meet the demand. From the proposal done by Shahrim, Chua & Hamdin (2009) at Kuala Lumpur, KLIA, and the result reveals that tourists are most from Asia, then Australia, Europe, America and Africa. It found that 82% of the respondents are likely to enjoy Malaysia food.

Further on, the results indicated that most tourists seemed to be satisfied by the food quality, food variety, price and meals experience in Malaysia. Besides, the results also indicated that tourists quite satisfy with local food availability in Malaysia. Thus, it can strengthen the pose of food into tourists mind. However, the “Malaysian food uniqueness” image was found to be insignificant. It may due to lack of awareness and images of Malaysian food. Thus, more efforts should be put to increase conscious of tourists towards Malaysian food.

Besides, the proposal also indicated that tourists do not intend to consider Malaysia as the first on their list of culinary destination, even though they are satisfy with food availability, food quality and meal experience in Malaysia. Thus, aggressive promoting strategies need to be done to encourage them to consume foods in Malaysia.

Furthermore, the proposal also point out satisfaction on tourists on dining at atmosphere such as food service, environment and service personnel is not as high we hope. Thus, public and private sectors should do improvement on this dilemma. For example, train the employees for more courtesy and quick service and make sure fresh and clean dining environment every moment.

Overall, a satisfaction o f tourist on food tourism Malaysia has to do more improvement to heighten the strength and reduces the weakness, especially in promotion strategies. So, tourists will bear the images of Malaysian food in mind. Hence, it leads repeat visitation of tourists to Malaysia.

Therefore, Ministry of Malaysia is now aggressively promoting Malaysia’s unique local cuisine. It promote via the Ministry’s Fabulous Food 1 Malaysia website www.fabfood1malaysia.com. It is an official government website that officiated by our Minister of Tourism, Y.B.Dato Ng Yen Yen.

“It is not only created to promote popular local food or ethnic dishes at all restaurants and hawker food outlet, but it also function to encourage the said industry to create unique Malaysia experiences and improve service elements to enhance Malaysia’s competitiveness”(1Malaysia Food – A World of Fabulous Culinary Delights).

The Fabulous Food1 Malaysia program consists of three tiers: promote our gourmet cuisine capabilities and top restaurants, promote food court (in shopping malls) dishes, and promote multi-culturally-influenced hawker and street restaurant food. So, it can add knowledge of food for tourists.

Moreover, Ministry of Tourism (MOT) compiles the 50 best outlets of local cuisine in Malaysia into a food galore guide book on year 2010 with hope to promote the local cuisine into domestic and international market more broadly. The local cuisines include laksa, nasi lemak and Bak Kut The (meat bone tea). MOT also do surveys on food outlets and judge on six criteria such as taste innovation, hygiene, pricing, attitude of the operators and ambience of the outlet in order to choose the best food outlet for consumers. In addition, MOT also considers the suggestions and recommendations made by the public through the website in selection of best food outlets. Thus, it will enhance the food experience of tourists for the duration of travel in Malaysia. In order to maintain the quality of food, MOT will review every year the listing food outlets to ensure that food operators are at their highest standard.

Apart from that, Malaysia also does effort in promote fast food in Malaysia. MOT always considers the public health. Therefore, in Malaysia, all fast food restaurants do provide a lot of information with regards to numbers of calories, fat grams and other nutritional details for consumers to reviews their eating styles. It is government guidance for establish healthy eating. However, this can be applicable to other restaurants in Malaysia too. Thus, tourists will more confidence with the food safety in Malaysia. However, Malaysia should put more effort regarding to food safety issues in Malaysian such as benchmarking of food producers and risk management in food tourism.

At the present time, food tourism industry development is faced with a series of challenges of market characteristics to the change of processing mode with regards to multiple products and services ( Meler & Cerovic, 2003). Therefore, marketing strategies are other crucial factors in determining the successful of food tourism. Meler & Cerovic (2003) also said that food marketing may be thought of as the connecting link- the bridge- between specialized food producers and consumers. It is because the marketing efforts will make the food product more competitive and recognizable in marketplace. Hence, Malaysia should be aware to current trend of food tourism, so that marketing strategies can be more effective.

As indicated above, there are reasons that influence the issues of food tourism in country. However, there are still more opportunities and threats that need to further investigate and identified to improve the ongoing development of food tourism in Malaysia.

For instance, research can be done with linkage with others type of tourism to create multiplier effect since tourist also involves themselves in other kinds of tourism at the same time. For example, food tourists likely to engage in activities such as visits museum, go shopping, attend music and/or film festivals and participate in general outdoor recreation (Tourism Queensland, 2003).

Beside, in term of regional aspects, food tourism Malaysia can be divides into rural and urban setting. For urban setting, it present consumers with variety of cultural product and international food in restaurants, while at rural area, it present consumers with local foods in places like fruit picking and agricultural farm accommodation. For urban area, it also can be associates with homestay to expand the tourist experience with culture and food.

Issues that are concern by the consumers

Understanding the issues concern by the tourist is very significant in determining the successful of promoting product to customers, especially in food tourism. For Malaysia, food tourism may be a quite new concept compared to other countries like Japan, Canada, and Taiwan and so on. Due to this, Malaysia is said to be in the introductory stage in offer food product to tourist, so there is lack of research in consumer behavior in food tourism. As such, it may refer to other countries in order to smooth the progress of introductory stage move quickly into the growth stage. With review the literature by Frewer & Rijswijk (2008), perception of tourist on food can be associated with quality and safety. These two concepts affect decision making of tourist independently or simultaneously. Perception of food quality and safety likely to be influenced by such psychological and cultural factors rather than physiological product experiences alone (Rijswijk & Frewer2008).

Furthermore, safety needs are the motives when tourist participates in food related-activities no matter international food or domestic food. For example, In Malaysia, it is a main concern on hawker food industry. Hawker foods are an imperative cultural heritage that contributes significance of benefits in terms of economic to country Malaysia. By owing to its ethnical diversity, Malaysia is also a melting spot of various culinary heritages that have become an invaluable part of experience that may contribute to the tourism sector. (Shahrim, Chua & Hamdin, 2009). Now, hawker food industry continually growing in Malaysia and become popular among domestic tourists. Therefore, food safety or public health strategies should be regulates to ensure the development of food tourism effectively. However, the exploratory research by Fiona & Poh (2008), reveals the government ineffectiveness in regulate food safety of hawkers across in Malaysia like ineffectiveness of food safety regulations/ guidelines, licensing, training and relocation. As a result, the creation of bad image to tourists occurs. Regards with this, improvement of food safety must be implements soon to reduce hazard. To improve food safety, the food production sector is in part dependent on the context in which operates (Reinders, 2004).

Challenges regards to food tourism

Henderson (2009) highlight several challenges with regards to food tourism such as preserving the local distinctiveness valued by tourists in the face of globalization pressures, food hygiene, different food needs by consumers and quality and services provided. So this is going to provide a cues for those engage in destination area development process which aim to draw food production and tourism in future planning.

In Malaysia, food tourism is still rather unclear or less common due to it is at introductory stage. So, it can base on the case proposal by other countries as reference. As mention before, Malaysia is a multiracial country that consists of different races such as Malay, Chinese, Indian and others. Hence, it serves with different taste of foods. However, the neighboring countries like Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia also provide similar foods with us because they also consist of several races. Thus, it may create a great competition in food market. As such, Malaysia need to need to be investigate regards to perceived food image by tourist so that it can provide identity to Malaysian food and this will reflects the culture of Malaysia. Consequently, it will attract repeated customers in future.