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Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture & Food Festival 2025 Strengthens Ties with Vietnam
The Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture & Food Festival 2025, held from July 29 to August 3, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, showcased Malaysia's rich cultural heritage, culinary delights, and vibrant arts scene. The event served as a platform for cross-cultural exchange, strengthening tourism and bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and Vietnam ahead of the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.
The festival was a series of events that included the Selera Malaysia food festival featuring traditional Malaysian cuisine and accompanying cultural performances, as well as seminars promoting tourism initiatives. The festival was officially opened on August 2 at Aeon Mall Long Bien in Hanoi, with participation from Malaysian government officials and the ambassador to Vietnam.
The festival aligned with Malaysia’s Madani initiative, emphasizing sustainability, compassion, and trust, and aimed to deepen cooperation across tourism, culture, education, and trade sectors. Among the festival activities were the Malaysia Food and Culture Promotion 2025 and the Madani Week, hosted by the Embassy of Malaysia.
The Malaysia Food and Culture Promotion 2025 was a community event celebrating Malaysia's diverse heritage through traditional art performances, handicraft demonstrations, and culinary specialties. Chefs showcased Malaysian cuisine, offering visitors a taste of the country's flavours.
YB Dato' Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, stated that Vietnam has consistently been one of Malaysia's most valued tourism partners in Southeast Asia. He believes that the festival will foster dynamic partnerships and support the shared goal of developing sustainable, inclusive, and mutually beneficial tourism between the two nations.
The festival had a significant impact on tourism by enhancing people-to-people ties and diplomatic relations. It was complemented by a Memorandum of Cooperation signed on August 2, 2025, between Tourism Malaysia and Vietnam Airlines to boost bilateral tourism through joint marketing, promotional activities, and improved connectivity, leveraging 164 direct weekly flights.
In terms of tourism impact, Malaysia welcomed over 336,000 visitors from Vietnam in 2024, with more than 168,000 crossings in the first half of 2025, indicating strong travel demand and promising growth potential catalysed by this festival and ongoing collaborations.
Thus, the Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture & Food Festival 2025 in Vietnam was a multifaceted event promoting cultural appreciation and tourism enhancement by showcasing Malaysia's art, culture, and cuisine while fostering stronger bilateral tourism ties. The festival marked a significant milestone in Malaysia's international outreach efforts leading up to Visit Malaysia 2026.
- The Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture & Food Festival 2025 served as a platform for enhancing diplomatic relations and promoting bilateral cooperation in sectors like tourism, culture, education, and trade between Malaysia and Vietnam.
- The Selera Malaysia food festival, part of the Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture & Food Festival 2025, showcases a variety of traditional Malaysian food and cultural performances, offering an immersive experience into the country's lifestyle and culture.
- As Vietnam was Malaysia's most valued tourism partner in Southeast Asia in 2024, the Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture & Food Festival 2025 aimed to support the shared goal of developing sustainable, inclusive, and mutually beneficial tourism between the two nations.
- The cultural travel opportunities presented at the Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture & Food Festival 2025 include traditional art performances, handicraft demonstrations, and food tastings, catering to those seeking authentic experiences that let them appreciate different cultures.
- Beyond tourism, the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between Tourism Malaysia and Vietnam Airlines during the festival is expected to impact various aspects of travel, including marketing initiatives, promotional activities, and enhancements in connectivity, encouraging both nations' residents to explore one another's food-and-drink scenes, lifestyles, and cultural destinations.
