The World Top Gourmet Awards 2024 is back for its sixth annual award show, seeking to honour the most outstanding culinary brands, restaurants, chefs, entrepreneurs and food personalities.
The highly anticipated occasion seeks to enhance Malaysia’s reputation as a top tourist destination while showcasing the richness and diversity of Malaysian cuisine.
The event launch was held at Sunway Resort Hotel, Petaling Jaya on August 8, 2024, attended by over 180 participants, including Tourism Malaysia domestic and events division senior director Datin Rafidah Idris, World Gourmet patron Puan Sri Dr Susan Cheah, various representatives from the culinary industry and media.
In her speech, World Gourmet president Dr Peggy Chong said, “Quality and innovation are indispensable parts of promoting the culinary and tourism industries. Thus, the World Gourmet Awards will take a step further this year by collaborating with the Malaysian Association of Skill Development Education (MASDEA) to introduce training courses aimed at improving the service and food quality of the local culinary industry.”
Datin Rafidah Idris also addressed the audience, stating, “Malaysia continues to see a surge in international tourists this year, with a target of welcoming 27.3 million international tourists and generating RM102.7 billion in tourism revenue.”
She said food and beverage services accounted for 14.9% of the tourism revenue from international tourists, totaling RM10.6 billion, making it one of the top three contributors to tourism receipts, just behind shopping and accommodation.
“The F&B sector holds tremendous potential in enhancing the tourism industry. We will further leverage collaborations with stakeholders in this industry to achieve the goal of attracting 35.6 million foreign tourist arrivals with projected receipts of RM147.1 billion in the forthcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026,” she added.
In line with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, the World Gourmet platform will also launch the “Explore Nation” app. This essential travel tool offers a range of features and functions to promote Malaysia’s tourism industry and enhance the travel experience for both domestic and international visitors.
During the press conference, Dr Peggy Chong also announced the appointment of Chef Bob Adnin, president of the Professional Culinary Association (Malaysia), as the ambassador for the 2024 World Top Gourmet Awards.
Since its inception, the World Top Gourmet Awards have bestowed over 400 awards, with an additional 100 awards expected to be given this year.
The 6th World Top Gourmet Awards gala will host over 1,000 guests from both local and international communities on Oct 3, 2024, at the Sunway Resort Hotel, Petaling Jaya.
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