PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has been ranked the fifth most popular food paradise in Asia, according to a survey by popular digital travel platform Agoda.
According to its survey, 49% of tourists say they visited the country primarily for its culinary delights.
The poll by the Singapore-based platform revealed South Korea as the top food destination in Asia, with 64% of visitors citing food as their main reason for travelling, followed by Taiwan (62%), Thailand (55%) and Japan (52%).
Agoda’s Malaysia Brunei director Fabian Teja said this shows food is part and parcel of the entire cultural experience of touring a destination, rather than merely for survival.
"There are some tourists who feel so excited that they book restaurants abroad before getting their flight tickets.
"Our survey data clearly shows that tourists are looking for destinations to enjoy local food and traditions, not just sightseeing."
The survey, conducted between Aug 1 and 19 involved over 4,000 respondents from 10 countries, including Indonesia, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore.
The results also showed that Malaysia is the top destination for food lovers from Singapore, while Malaysian tourists frequently visit Thailand, Indonesia, and Taiwan for their culinary experiences.
