PETALING JAYA, 12 July 2022:
Local fruits retailer Durious Sdn Bhd, better known by its branding as DKing, is aiming to tap the exotic appeal of durians to lure both domestic and international tourists to sample this avowed King of the Fruits.
It is conducting the first ever International Durian & Cultural Fest 2022 at Pavilion Bukit Jalil this weekend, when it is prepared to host around 3,000 aficionados over two days – July 16 and 17.
DKing founder Leron Yee said the RM88 all-you-can-eat durian buffet will be conducted on an hourly basis with a cap of 300 participants for each session. “We will offer at least three different varieties of quality durians, but for that price, we have to admit not being able to offer the ‘Musang King’ variety though.”
Even so, he described the buffet as a steal, noting durian prices have been on an uptrend recently. “For this event, we’re also expecting many international travellers, especially from East Asia. That’s why we’re grateful for Tourism Malaysia’s support in promoting this event.”
Tourism Malaysia senior deputy director Rosnah Mustafah confirmed the support, noting that the national agency has seen strong interest from Hong Kong – where the local durian pricing is so high that it is cheaper to eat the fruit fresh in Malaysia, even after factoring in travel costs.
“We have successfully promoted tour packages around durian feasts, where tourists from Hong Kong spend several days in Malaysia and also enjoy many other attractions our country has to offer.”
Yee said this weekend’s event is also aimed at wooing tourists from further abroad, noting that Australia has become the second largest durian export destination for Malaysia.
“While Thailand and Indonesia also have durians to offer, many consumers say Malaysian durians are the best tasting. We’re conducting this event to let consumers enjoy local durians plus other fruits we have plenty of in Malaysia, and hope to have it as an annual celebration.”