110 Influencers Explore Malaysia’s Food, Culture & Hidden Gems Through Digital Content
It's all part of the All Star Influencers Award!
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If you've ever discovered a travel destination through a TikTok video or Instagram Reel, you'll know just how much a few seconds of content can make you want to pack your bags
Malaysia is now tapping into that same power of social media, with the All Star Influencers Award (ASIA) recording a whopping 3.8 billion cumulative digital views since its inception in 2023.
Held in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia to support the Visit Malaysia 2026 to 2027 campaign, ASIA2026 brought together 110 influencers from 20 countries to showcase the country's food, culture, and tourism destinations to international audiences.
According to ASIA founder Datuk Abd Rahman Soltan, the programme uses international influencers to introduce Malaysia to the world through creative and authentic digital content
"The achievement of 3.8 billion views demonstrates the significant influence of digital content in introducing Malaysia to the world, particularly through our unique culture, food and tourism destinations," he said.
Through the programme, participants travelled across Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Perak, Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu, Pahang, Langkawi, Penang, and Sabah, sharing their experiences through social media.
Influencers from countries including Japan, South Korea, Bahrain, Taiwan, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Cambodia, Thailand, Russia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia also took part.
From discovering local cuisine to experiencing the country's cultural diversity, the initiative aims to bring Malaysia's attractions to millions of social media users worldwide
"Through ASIA, we aim to leverage the reach of international influencers to share Malaysia's stories with global audiences in a more creative, authentic and impactful way," he added.
The highlight of this year's awards saw Indonesia's Dinda Anwar named the recipient of the Best Influencer Award, taking home a trophy and USD10,000 in cash
She also won the Best Culture Curator category, receiving another trophy and an additional USD1,000.
Pakistan's Zulqarnain secured second place, winning USD5,000, while Vietnam's Duc Koi finished third with USD3,000 and a trophy.
The prizes were presented by Datuk Abd Rahman alongside Director-General of Tourism Malaysia Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim.
Commenting on the winners, Datuk Abd Rahman said the awards recognised more than just an influencer's popularity.
"We want ASIA to be a platform that recognises influencers not merely for their popularity, but also for their creativity, storytelling quality, and ability to produce content that resonates with audiences," he said.
ASIA2026 featured 13 award categories celebrating creativity, content quality, and influencers' ability to showcase different cultural perspectives
Here are the winners across the categories:
Category Awards
- Best Gourmet Story: Zulqarnain (Pakistan)
- Best New Mixed Dance: Group B (Perak to Kuala Lumpur)
- Best Culture Curator: Dinda Anwar (Indonesia)
- Best Storyteller: Duc Koi (Vietnam)
- Best Mixed Language: Group A (Johor to Negeri Sembilan)
- Best Comedy Maestro: Group E (Perak to Kuala Lumpur)
- Best Transition: Herony (Philippines)
- Best Dedication Award: Haikal Irfan (Malaysia)
Best Compilation
- Sabah: Raymart (Philippines)
- Johor to Negeri Sembilan: Aikah (Malaysia)
- Perak to Kuala Lumpur: Felicia (Indonesia)
- Terengganu to Pahang: Durdona (Uzbekistan)
- Langkawi to Penang: Haikal Equino (Indonesia)
With 3.8 billion digital views accumulated since 2023, ASIA continues to demonstrate the potential of social media creators to introduce Malaysia to international audiences.
