KUALA LUMPUR: The Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is reassessing its objectives for the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign after surpassing its aim of 35.6 million foreign visitors by reaching 38 million in 2024.
“The overwhelming response forces us to set even higher standards,” stated Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture.
He stated that the Ministry has prepared strong measures to draw in more tourists as part of the campaign’s objective to increase the tourism industry’s contribution to economic growth.
Promoting overnight stays for day visitors with alluring packages, such as Johor Bahru’s Midnight Sales, is one of the main strategies. To extend stays and support specialized tourism markets like golf, health, and culinary tourism, they also seek to improve cultural and ecotourism experiences.
He stated, “These strategies are designed not only to increase tourist numbers but also to enrich their experience and interactions with our rich cultural heritage and natural beauty,” during Tuesday’s (February 18) Question Time in Dewan Rakyat.
He addressed Jimmy Puah Wee Tse (Pakatan-Tebrau), who inquired about the Ministry’s primary strategies for promoting Visit Malaysia Year 2026, the kind of tourists it hopes to attract, and the events it will host.
According to Tiong, the campaign is anticipated to have a favourable effect on associated industries like transportation, as there will be a greater need for buses, taxis, and aeroplanes, which might lead to the creation of additional jobs and a rise in business profits.
He went on to say that the Ministry will keep working with state governments, commercial organizations, non-governmental organizations, and non-profits to improve current events such as the MAHA exhibition and the Rainforest World Music Festival.
“This year, we aim to expand the Midnight Mega Sales to three or five locations nationwide and will also promote a Food Festival in every state to showcase our diverse culinary heritage,” Minister Tiong stated.
“This is the problem. I’ve responded to this question numerous times in newspapers. The video served only to introduce the logo. Tiong declared, “It’s not a promotional video.”
He also mentioned that a review of the finished video would be conducted shortly.
“The footage only shows a Unesco building when it first comes out. We’re just going to release it. It’s not about pushing something improper or embarrassing our nation, so please don’t misinterpret,” he stated.
Tiong discussed their efforts to aggressively market to Muslim families through the Islamic Tourism Center as part of their larger promotional initiatives.
Tiong did, however, acknowledge the significance of broadening its marketing initiatives beyond travel targeted at Muslims.
However, we have to acknowledge that China is a sizable tourist destination, and not simply for Muslim cuisine. Chinese tourists are also drawn to non-Muslim cuisine. We make a lot of noise, but it’s time to campaign with China to make Visit Malaysia a success,” he stated.
