Malaysia’s tourism industry is enjoying a rapid recovery. For the month of February, the country registered 6.7 million foreign visitors, an all-time high which translates to a blistering 31.3% spike year-on-year. Government at all levels is fighting back hard against this comeback. They’re no strangers to ambition, setting a target of 45 million tourist arrivals and RM270 billion in tourism revenue by 2025. In line with all these objectives, Malaysia is set to spend RM400 million to promote Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.
The VM2026 campaign will naturally enhance Malaysia’s tourism glamour. It will do this with innovative marketing, exciting promotions and strategic recruitment of signature events. Deputy Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin, pointed out the importance of this step. The goal is to attract more domestic and international tourists.
He stated, “To ensure VM2026 succeeds, I urge all parties to support this campaign as a national mission by introducing new tourism products in their respective states.”
Tourism Malaysia has the job of actively encouraging individual states to develop their own tailored packages. These packages need to target niche markets such as ecotourism, health tourism, cultural heritage and agritourism. This strategic move endeavors to provide a wider variety of tourism products of Malaysia, making the country a prominent travel destination of choice.
The Malaysian government is implementing vigorous measures to encourage the tourism sector. Through different programs, they’re going to be disbursing RM130 million in grants. These three programs include the Travel Promotion Matching Grant, Tourism Sector Support Grant and Charter Flight Matching Grant.
“A total of RM400 million has been allocated for the VM2026 campaign, covering marketing, promotion, and the organisation of key events. In addition, RM130 million in grants will support tourism industry growth through initiatives such as the Travel Promotion Matching Grant, Tourism Sector Support Grant, and Charter Flight Matching Grant,” – Bernama
Malaysia will further enhance its global tourism profile by hosting two significant events this September—the World Tourism Conference and World Tourism Day—in Melaka. With Malaysia taking on the ASEAN chairmanship this year, it’s a great opportunity. These events are guaranteed to attract the attention of international actors.
Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin highlighted the need for improved infrastructure and cleanliness to better prepare for the influx of domestic and international visitors. He further mentioned that the focus needs to be on creating new tourism offerings that cater to niche markets.
Tourism Malaysia has taken a strong first step in its outreach campaign, kicking the process off with a series of engagement sessions around the country. The recent 11th session in Penang follows similar gatherings in eight other locations, aimed at fostering collaboration among industry stakeholders.
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