TOURISM MALAYSIA SETS SIGHTS ON VM2026 WITH STRATEGIC PUSH

KUANTAN, April 22 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia is implementing a series of strategies to ensure the success of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), to attract more international tourists to the country’s top destinations.

Tourism Malaysia Eastern Region director Mohd Azizul Arif Yahaya expressed confidence that the initiative would positively impact the local tourism sector, supported by consistent digital, online, and offline promotional efforts.

“Our first strategy is to increase the number of events and festivals that will attract more tourists to Malaysia through continuous awareness and promotional campaigns,” he said.

"Secondly, we aim to encourage tourists to extend their stays at each destination, with the goal of them spending two or three nights in one location," he added during the engagement session with Pahang tourism industry players held here today.

This engagement session follows the official launch of the VM2026 logo, song, promotional video, and mascot, and is part of an ongoing engagement series that has already taken place in Kelantan and Terengganu.

This session also aims to provide comprehensive insights to tourism industry players in Pahang about the various initiatives and opportunities offered by Tourism Malaysia and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, thereby supporting the national agenda for the success of VM2026.

He added that the third strategy focuses on promoting Malaysia as a premier shopping destination, which will not only generate income but also boost the country’s economy.

“We have also identified a significant number of daily visitors from neighbouring countries like Singapore, Brunei, and Thailand. Our goal is to convert these daily visitors into tourists by encouraging them to stay overnight,” he said.

-- BERNAMA