Fun Malaysia: Kite flyers showing off their colourful giant kites; Pasir Gudang World Kite Festival has become one of the iconic tourism products in Johor. — Agency
Malaysia has a lot to offer – from jungle trekking during the day to eclectic concerts in the evening. With a year to go to Visit Malaysia 2026, Tourism Malaysia is raring to fly.
MORE new experiences – that is what tourists are hungry for now, and Tourism Malaysia is working hard to deliver.
As the country gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) agency has been packaging and promoting a myriad of activities and experiences around adventuring, nature, wellness, and foodie trails.
And while Taylor Swift is not on the bill, yet, another area that Malaysia is focusing on is live events – from concerts to festivals.
As Sunday Star reports, at least 40 concerts – estimated to generate about RM200mil in revenue, including in spillover spending on accommodation and food – have been confirmed in the 2025 events calendar. And the list is set to grow further into 2026.
Coldplay’s first concert last year in Malaysia went on smoothly. — Coldplay/X
But with the country’s unique and diverse cultural heritage, high on Tourism Malaysia’s itinerary for VM2026 is the cultural travel sector.
Eye on niche experiences
Aptly, the theme picked for VM2026 is “Malaysia – A Culturally Rich and Sustainable Destination”.
This reflects not only Motac’s commitment to promoting Malaysia’s rich tapestry of cultures and traditions, but also fostering a sustainable tourism industry, Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy tells Sunday Star in a recent interview.
“The theme aligns with the ministry’s mission to empower the tourism ecosystem and embrace cultural diversity.
“It also reflects the ministry’s policy of driving a competitive and sustainable tourism and cultural sector, ensuring economic growth while preserving Malaysia’s cultural heritage and natural environment.
“Furthermore, it also underscores the importance of developing knowledgeable, skilled, and creative human capital within the tourism and cultural sectors to ensure continued growth and innovation.”
Capitalising on diverse attractions and current travel trends, the theme is an expansion of the country’s award-winning “Malaysia, Truly Asia” brand.
Manoharan says Tourism Malaysia prioritises identifying market segments including promoting experiences such as events, concerts and festivals . — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
To attract high-yield tourists, industry players have urged Tourism Malaysia to focus on diversifying markets and promoting lesser-known destinations, Manoharan adds.
“Some of the suggestions include expanding beyond Kuala Lumpur, to promote destinations like Langkawi, Penang, the East Coast, and Sabah and Sarawak to capitalise on the high-yield Singaporean market.”
Every state in Malaysia boasts a vibrant market for experiential tourism, each offering unique experiences, he says.
The “hot” attractions Tourism Malaysia is promoting include the Sarawak Delta Geopark and Gawai 2024 packages. The Sarawak Delta Geopark, which is Malaysia’s sixth national geopark, encompasses several national parks that showcase the region’s unique geological, biological, and cultural heritage. Featured destinations include Tasik Biru, Fairy Cave, and the Paku Rockmaze Garden in Bau, as well as Rumah Panjang Annah Rais, Homestay Bung Jagoi, and Kampung Sapit (“Village Above the Cloud”) in Padawan.
The Gawai Dayak Festival offers immersive cultural experiences as people celebrate the end of the rice harvesting season in June, connecting travellers with Sarawak’s vibrant traditions through performances, community visits, and local feasts.
The Bako National Park in the Sarawak Delta Geopark is one of the attractions promoted by Tourism Malaysia. — Sarawak Tourism Board
Predicting specific tourist destinations is challenging, as preferences vary greatly across different market segments, Manoharan notes.
“For example, tourists from Asean are likely to be drawn to Malaysia’s offerings in medical tourism, family-friendly destinations, and city sightseeing.
“On the other hand, tourists from the West Asia market may favour luxury travel and shopping experiences. Hence, locations like the high-end resorts of Langkawi, the heritage and culture of Melaka, and the shopping paradise of Kuala Lumpur could appeal to this market.”
Then there are the niche products such wedding and film locations.
“We also want to offer monetary incentives for trips related to weddings and filming, attracting international events and productions.
“Developing niche products is important, which includes destination wedding packages specifically for the Indian market, and facilitating filming opportunities in Malaysia for foreign production houses,” says Manoharan.
Tourism Malaysia also aims to leverage major events, such as the India International Film Academy Awards 2024 that was held here in August, to attract Indian travellers and showcase Malaysia’s vibrant offerings.
Manoharan notes that preferences for experiential travel vary by market. For example, tourists from Europe and the United States primarily seek experiential and sustainable tourism options, and have a strong interest in nature-based experiences, island and beach gateways, and cultural and heritage immersion, he says.
“For East Asian markets like Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, Tourism Malaysia focuses on niche segments such as education tourism, homestay experiences, and business-to-consumer programmes. Golf tourism is also our focus for the Japanese market, which has shown a decline in general leisure travel.”
Niche tourism products can experience a decline over time, as seen with the cruise segment in some instances, he points out.
“Therefore, to align with evolving travel trends, one of the strategies to reinvigorate interest in this declining segment, for example, is to promote Malaysia as a homeport destination for cruise liners through collaborations with the Transport Ministry.
“Hence, the development of Port Klang as Malaysia’s first international cruise homeport will attract foreign tourists and help boost the country’s economic growth.”
From Y to Z
Manoharan says Tourism Malaysia recognises the significant influence of Gen Y and Gen Z within the tourism market as they represent a substantial portion of today’s consumers, particularly in the digital sphere. This is why the agency is using online platforms, social media, and digital advertising to promote experiential travel opportunities within Malaysia to more Gen Y and Gen Z travellers.
The agency has prioritised identifying market segments and adapting products to ensure they align with current trends and demands of these younger generations, he adds.
This includes developing and promoting experiences such as events, concerts, and festivals, digital nomad programmes, adventure tourism, and foodie experiences.
Rock climbing outside the Fairy Cave in the Sarawak Delta Geopark. — Sarawak Tourism Board
Acknowledging the value placed on sustainability and social responsibility by these generations, Tourism Malaysia is also building a purpose-driven brand that emphasises shared values and supports causes they care about.
“Tourism Malaysia is also working closely with partners from the initial product ideation stage to marketing and promotion to encourage sustainable tourism and empower community-based tourism initiatives,” Manoharan adds.
With a year left to VM2026 – which is targeting the arrival of 35.6 million inbound tourists, generating an estimated RM147.1bil in revenue – Manoharan shares that Tourism Malaysia has also ramped up engagement sessions with industry partners and stakeholders to address challenges in the industry, including limited flight connectivity, to boost tourist arrivals.
“One of the biggest challenges facing Malaysia’s tourism industry has been limited air connectivity, which hinders the country’s ability to attract international visitors.
“While visa facilitation plays a role, improving air connectivity is crucial for boosting tourist arrivals. In 2023, air transport accounted for only 36.71% of tourist arrivals in Malaysia, significantly lower than neighbouring countries like Singapore (79.10%) and Thailand (84.50%),” Manoharan says.
It seems the efforts are paying off as the industry heads into 2025 – earlier this month, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing announced nine new international routes and one new charter flight route connecting five key destinations in Malaysia with other countries. The new routes began to be progressively launched from Nov 28 onwards, with Vietjet’s daily direct flights between Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur being the first.
Generating awareness and interest in Malaysia as a tourist destination while targeting key markets with high growth potential remain a primary focus for Motac and Tourism Malaysia.
“All in all, I would say that we need to continue to develop and promote our unique and authentic tourism experiences with targeted marketing campaigns, apart from focusing on accessibility for seamless travel for all tourists,” says Manoharan.
