Malaysia Lures Japanese Tourists With Nasi Lemak!

yummy basic nasi lemak. photo: PelanconganKini

TOKYO, JAPAN, 29 September 2014: With the help of Japanese food celebrity, Kentetsu Koh, the Malaysian nasi lemak made its way into Japanese tummies in an effort to introduce Malaysian food, culture and holiday destinations to the Japanese market.

It is part of the Tourism Malaysia “Sudah Makan?” campaign launched on 25 September in Tokyo, Japan, where the fiery nasi lemak was selected as the icon dish of Malaysia, and Kentetsu Koh, a Japanese food specialist, as its Malaysian Food Advisor.

The campaign will follow through with several food promotions being held in Japan, including a Malaysian Jazzy Night and Food from 17 to 31 October at Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo. Several Malaysian restaurants already operating in Japan will also be featured at a restaurant carnival at Kai Jyo Row in Chubu Centrair Airport in Nagoya from 7 to 16 November. A similar restaurant promotion will also be held in Japan from 1 Nov 2014 to 31 Jan 2015 where some 15 Malaysian restaurants are taking part to showcase Malaysia’s delicious cuisine to the Japanese public.

The campaign gained ground with Tourism Malaysia’s participation in the JATA Tourism Expo 2014 for the 36th time from 25 to 28 September. The JATA Opening Ceremony was held on 26 September, followed by JATA Tourism Award.   

Malaysia’s presence at this year’s expo was grand with a total of 17 organisations comprising Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines, Sarawak Tourism Board, Sabah Tourism Board, hotels and travel agencies, under the Malaysia Pavilion, themed ‘Year of Festivals 2015’. The Pavilion was opened by Tourism Malaysia’s Director of International Promotion Division (North & East Asia) Nor Aznan Sulaiman. Tourism Malaysia also hosted a JATA Luncheon and organised a ‘Malaysia Year of Festivals (MyFest) 2015 Seminar’.      

The Malaysia Pavilion, dressed up in a “Festival and Culture” theme, is appropriate for the launch of the Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015 in Japan. At the international food pavilion, Malaysia also had two booths to promote a selection of Malaysian favourites such as roti canai and curry, nasi lemak, mee goreng, ais kacang, teh tarik, mango juice and more. 

Japan has been a major tourist market for Malaysia with 513,000 arrivals from Japan in 2013.

-Tourism Malaysia.