KUALA LUMPUR: The 4th Malaysia International Durian and Cultural Fest (MIDCF) 2024, going on until Sept 16 at Piazza of Pavilion Bukit Jalil, is set to be the largest durian buffet festival.
The event, hosted by Duricious Sdn Bhd's marketing arm Dking in partnership with Durian Capital Bhd, was officiated by Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk P. Manoharan and with Malaysian supermodel Amber Chia serving as the event's brand ambassador, recently.
Dking in a statement said MIDCF 2024 not only celebrated Malaysia's durian as the "King of Fruits", but also aimed to educate the attendees about its significance and the durian cultivation process.
"In addition to offering an extensive durian buffet, the festival will focus on agrotourism by highlighting the agricultural practices behind this iconic fruit.
"Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about durian cultivation, enjoy local Malaysian dishes, and experience traditional kampung life through farm homestays," said the statement.
Meanwhile, DKing and MIDCF founder Leron Yee in the same statement said the event's goal is to promote the durian and Malaysian culture on a global scale, hoping that the festival would become an annual celebration recognised internationally as "DurianFest" or "Hari Durian".
He said through the experience, MIDCF 2024 aimed to broaden understanding and appreciation of durians and enhance Malaysia's reputation as a leading agrotourism destination.
"We started on Sept 11 welcoming over 700 guests from China in buses to enjoy the Malaysia durian and more to come during the durian fest. We are expecting a total of 3,000 local and 900 international guests, with an additional 1,000 more at the Durian Fun Run on Sunday (Sept 15),” he added.
At the same time, Manoharan in his speech during the event said Tourism Malaysia would support the event that promoted Malaysia's durians and its culture showcasing the country's famous Musang King variety.
He was also hopeful the collaboration with all parties would elevate durians into a global celebration to attract more tourists and durian enthusiasts from around the world to visit Malaysia.
"Last year, Malaysia exported RM2 billion worth of fruits with durians making up 56 per cent of the total. Malaysia harvested 455,458 tonnes of durians and we expect an 11 per cent increase to 505,853 tonnes by 2025.
"Lastly, as we gear up for Visit Malaysia 2026 and in the spirit of Malaysia MADANI, we will work together to enhance the value of our tourism offerings," he added. - Bernama
