Exploring Gastronomy Tourism as Potential Halal Tourism Products: Preliminary Study of Tourist Perception on Baba Nyonya Cuisines

Gastronomy tourism has gained prominence globally, offering local and international tourists unique experiences for their taste palettes. The demand for Halal food among Muslim tourists has significantly increased as more people seek authentic and culturally appropriate dining experiences when travelling. This paper examines gastronomy tourism from the perspective of Islamic tourism, focusing on the Baba Nyonya cuisine; a combination of Chinese and Malay flavors as a viable Halal tourism product, aligned with the growing demand for Halal-certified options in the tourism industry. Factors of Halal certification, cultural familiarity, food awareness, and involvement, were explored. A structured survey was distributed to 385 tourists around Banda Hilir, Melaka, to explore Baba Nyonya cuisine's potential as a gastronomy tourism attraction. Baba Nyonya cuisine was found to be a promising attraction for Halal-conscious tourists. Interestingly, the Baba Nyonya cuisine appealed more to non-Halal food enthusiasts compared to a Halal option among Muslim tourists, since few of the Baba Nyonya restaurants were not Halal certified. This study underscores opportunities to increase the variety of Halal-certified foods and provide insights for travel marketers and local cuisine operators to capitalize on Baba Nyonya cuisines, thus pinning Malaysia as a leading destination for Halal gastronomy tourism.