Titled “Global Travel Destinations 2025”, the International Travel Business Conference, which ran from 1-3 October in Kuala Lumpur, marked a pivotal moment for the country’s tourism industry as it prepared for the campaign dubbed “Visit Malaysia 2026” (VM2026). The event brought together around 600 international travel representatives and 400 Malaysian entities, including hotels, tour operators, airlines and various tourism products.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, highlighted the importance of this promotion as a platform to turn ideas into action. He described the event as a key catalyst in igniting new energy and creating strong momentum to realise Malaysia’s ambitious goals for Visit Malaysia 2026.
Through the conference, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture aims to strengthen partnerships and promote sustainable growth, including creating a platform for tourism stakeholders to connect, positioning Malaysia as a global hub for tourism and cultural exchange, exploring innovative approaches to digital and community-based tourism, and strengthening strategic alliances, according to Mr. Khairul. These goals are in line with Malaysia’s National Tourism Policy 2020–2030, which has sustainability as its central theme.
These promotional activities come as Malaysia’s tourism industry is on a path of recovery and impressive growth. Last year, the country welcomed 38 million international visitors, up 31.1% from the previous year and 8.3% from pre-COVID-19 levels. The growth momentum is expected to continue in 2025, with 24.5 million international visitors recorded in the first seven months of this year alone, up 16.8% year-on-year. Malaysia’s top customer markets include Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Brunei, India, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan (China).
With an ambitious target of 47 million international arrivals by 2026, Malaysian tourism businesses are calling on the government to step up support to ensure the success of the VM2026 campaign. Nigel Wong, president of the Malaysian Association of Travel and Tourism Agents (Matta), said overseas marketing costs are becoming more expensive due to the weakening ringgit. He therefore called on the government to double its budget for international marketing, especially to major markets such as China and India. He also warned that illegal tour operators and scams are damaging the country’s reputation.
On the hospitality side, Ms Christina Toh, President of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), called for extending tax incentives to 4- and 5-star hotels, as well as providing grants for digitalisation to address the manpower shortage. She stressed the long-term vision of the campaign, as VM2026 should not be seen as a one-year campaign but should lay the foundation for what Malaysia’s tourism industry can offer the world. Tourism helps boost the entire supply chain, creating economic opportunities, improving demand for fast-moving consumer goods and ensuring job stability across multiple industries.
During the event, delegates will participate in live business-to-business sessions, networking events and FAM Trips to experience the diversity of Malaysian tourism: from culture, ecology to cuisine and adventure tourism.
Source: https://baotintuc.vn/du-lich/malaysia-khoi-dong-chien-dich-tham-vong-thu-hut-khach-du-lich-quoc-te-20251001194115843.htm
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