Going all out to promote Visit Malaysia 2026

April 11, 2025

KUALA LUMPUR – Wira and Manja will get a lot busier as Malay­sia ramps up efforts to boost the country’s global tourism appeal ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).

The Malayan sun bears and mascots of the VM2026 campaign will be fronting the country’s focus on key markets from Vietnam to the United Kingdom.

Moves are being made to enhan­ce connectivity and imp­rove infrastructure as well.

“We are re-ev­a­luating priority markets such as Vietnam, South Korea and the Gulf Coop­era­tion Coun­cil coun­tries due to evolving travel trends,” said Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mano­haran Peria­samy (pic).

As for Central Asia, the region offers promising opportunities, with direct flights from Kazakh­s­tan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenis­tan driving growth in visitor arri­vals, he said.

Expanded air connectivity will position Russia, France and the United Kingdom as essential target markets, he said.

Closer to home, neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei remain key priorities.

“Although these markets have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, significant investment in adv­ertising and promotion will be essential to revitalising inte­rest,” he said in an interview.

Manoharan said efforts to maxi­mise arrivals via land and sea are also a major focus.

Tourism Malaysia is working closely with operators to boost cross-border travel, particularly from Singapore through Johor.

“Plans are underway to encou­rage Singaporean excursionists to extend their stays through high- impact events such as midnight sales and exclusive shopping experiences.

“We aim to attract more international cruise passengers to explore nearby attractions with appealing packages,” he said.

Manoharan said Malaysia is also positioning itself as a long-term homeport for cruise liners.

To further strengthen Malay­sia’s tourism potential, efforts are being made to improve air connectivity.

The “Geran Sokongan Pener­ban­gan & Charter” initiative is meant to support airline collaborations, particularly on point-to-point routes.

“Singapore’s air network will also be leveraged as a gateway for international arrivals transiting to Malaysia via Johor and Kuala Lumpur.

“During lean travel periods, we will focus on key markets such as Indonesia, China, India and Aus­tra­lia to maintain steady visitor arrivals,” he added.

The VM2026 campaign, launched on Jan 6, marked a major milestone in Malaysia’s tourism sector.

A new logo was launched, symbolising the country’s vibrant culture and natural beauty, and displayed on aircraft from Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air and AirAsia.

In addition, a theme song titled “Surreal Experiences” was unveiled to highlight Malaysia’s diverse offerings, accompanied by a promotional video designed to captivate global travellers.

Malaysia’s tourism sector is experiencing significant growth. A strategic realignment aims to attract 45 million visitors and generate RM270bil in tourism revenue by next year.

The initiative comes as part of the VM2026 campaign, which leverages the country’s diverse attrac­tions, enhanced accessibility and key market strategies.

From January to December last year, Malaysia recorded 38 million visitor arrivals, reflecting a 31.1% increase from the previous year’s 29 million.

Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Brunei, India, the Phi­lippines, South Korea, Aus­tra­lia and Taiwan were the top 10 source markets.

The trend continued in early 2025, with Malaysia welcoming 6.74 million visitors between January and February – a 31.3% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Singapore remained the leading contributor with 3.14 million arrivals, followed by China, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei.

Manoharan attributed the surge in Chinese arrivals to the visa liberalisation policy and new direct flight routes.

“For China, visa liberalisation makes it easier for travellers to visit Malaysia, along with the introduction of new flight routes and direct flights,” he said.

Singapore maintained its position as a key source market due to its proximity and seamless travel access, especially through the Johor border.

“India also emerged as a growing market, driven by strong cultural ties and intensified promotional efforts, with visa liberalisation extended until December 2026,” he added.

Despite the momentum, Malay­sia faces challenges in attracting international visitors, including limited international flight availability, high travel costs and increasing competition from neighbouring destinations.

To counter these obstacles, Malaysia is focusing on strengthening its appeal as a premier tra­vel destination through VM2026.

“The campaign will highlight Malaysia’s multicultural heritage, biodiversity and modern attractions to create a well-rounded experience for visitors,” said Mano­haran.

According to him, niche tourism segments such as adventure tourism, medical tourism and eco-tourism will be prioritised alongside infrastructure enhancements and improved accessibility.

“The goal is to enhance Malay­sia’s reputation for offering uni­que and immersive travel expe­riences.

“The plan also includes high-impact cultural and tourism events, which will help Malaysia remain competitive in both the regional and global tourism landscape,” he added.