The 4th Malaysia International Durian and Cultural Fest 2024 (MIDCF) is happening at Piazza of Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur from Sept 11-16, 2024.
Hosted by Dking in partnership with Durian Capital, the event aimed at promoting Malaysia’s durian internationally, is set to be the largest durian buffet festival in the country.
Tourism Malaysia director general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy officiated the opening ceremony of the durian cultural fest on Sept 12.
“Tourism Malaysia will support this fantastic event promoting Malaysia durian and culture showcasing our famous Musang king durian. We hope together we can elevate durian into a global celebration as “DurianFest or Durian Day”to attract more tourists and durian enthusiasts from around the world to visit Malaysia,” he said in his speech.
Manoharan said last year Malaysia exported RM2 billion worth of fruits with durians making up 56% of the total export.
“Malaysia harvested 455,458 tonnes of durians and we expect an 11% increase to 505,853 tonnes by 2025. As we gear up for Visit Malaysia 2026, in the spirit of Malaysia Madani, we can enhance the value of our tourism offerings by working together,” he said.
Also present were Leron Yee and Simon Chin, both co-founders of Dking; Afiq Johar, CEO of Durian Capital; Jonathan Chandra, CFO of Durian Capital; Dato Dr Angie Ng, president of Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA); Malaysian model Amber Chia, brand event ambassador of MIDCF 2024; Calvinn Tay, managing director of Calla Batik and Dicky Lee, CEO of iFood Expo.
“Through this immersive experience, we aim to broaden understanding and appreciation of durians and enhance Malaysia’s reputation as a leading agro-tourism destination.
“We started on the first day Sept 11 welcoming over 700 guests from China to enjoy Malaysian durian. We expect more to come with about 3,000 locals and 900 international visitors, and anticipating around 1,000 more during the Durian Fun Run on Sept 15,” said Dking and MIDCF founder Leron Yee.
The event started with a Durian Fashion Show which featured junior models wearing outfits from Malaysia’s top designer Angeline Teoh, and culminated in a durian buffet and booth tour.
The Malaysia International Durian and Cultural Fest 2024 not only celebrates the Malaysia durian as the “King of Fruits” but also aims to educate visitors about its significance and the durian cultivation process.
In addition to the durian buffet offering a eat-all-you-can durian feast, the festival will focus on agro-tourism by highlighting the agricultural practices for the iconic fruit.
Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about durian cultivation, enjoy local Malaysian dishes and experience traditional kampung life through farm homestays.
Tickets for the Malaysian durian buffet are priced at RM68 for adults and RM48 for children aged 12 and below.
Key sponsors supporting the event include Pavilion Bukit Jalil (official venue), MAE by Maybank, Parkroyal Langkawi Resort, Batik Air, Ho Yan Hor, Caffa Batik, Ticket2U and WhyNot Studio.
