For a sustainable tourism – Visit Malaysia 2026 and beyond

Xavier Tan

The Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign was launched with much fanfare over a week ago at Melaka – one of the states which has enjoyed a resurgence in tourism.

It was so crammed in tiny streets of the state that some key tourism officials could not attend the event because there was simply no place to park either a vehicle or a motorcycle.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim made key observations such as the need to focus on sustainable tourism and improve global connectivity to ensure the campaign is a success when he arrived to launch the initiative at the doorsteps of the Melaka Unesco World Heritage Site.

Much hangs on the shoulder of the first term Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, whose hard nose leadership, has witnessed a turnaround of the industry in the past two – years with record numbers detected by major destinations such as Penang and Melaka.

He has drawn up that grandeur objectives of the campaign, which marks Malaysia’s comeback from the depressive lockdown years of the pandemic.

Tiong wants the country to increase tourism revenue, boost the contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) and enhanced our global tourism standing.

He outlined that MOTAC wants to attract 35.6 million international tourist arrivals and RM147.1 billion in tourism receipts from January next year.

Tourism or rather the services sector, are the country’s hope to sustain growth, as the manufacturing sector trades in uncertainty due to the US – China global trade war, worsened by the move by US to impose import tariffs on all nations.

Once the manufacturing orders start to dissipate due to the uncertainty over the tariffs, we need to look at alternatives – boosting tourism in a big way is seen as a doable option.

Travel is one area which has seen remarkable growth; a direct rebound from the lean years of Covid – 19 and it has continued its momentum despite concerns over conflicts and the trade war.

It is said that Malaysia may have bested its neighbour Thailand in terms of arrivals based on social media postings but tourism should not be about just numbers.

It should be about telling the world the right messaging – to conserve and preserved versus climate change or emergency as some politicians call it.

It should be about showcasing to the world our rich gastronomy, cultural, heritage and arts inheritance with affordable prices and consistent taste.

It should be informing tourists about our innovation and how we co – exist in harmony despite the apparent structural differences in race, creed or religion.

But most importantly, it should be about sharing to the world, our zeal for a better world – our traditional music, poetry and cultural elements need to be showcase to sooth the weary traveller, who also has to put up with much uncertainties from where they had originated from.

While we need to be respectful to the religious norms of constraining alcohol sales when the audience is largely Muslim. we should not be obsessed with it – the focus as Tiong had mentioned should be about developing the industry because if done correctly, it can help grow the economy.

We should also share with travellers our efforts to green our world; to mitigate climate change and destinations such as Penang, who has barred single plastic use, should be lauded for it.

To do it all, the tourism players from agents, marketers to hoteliers, guides and retailers, as well as amusement operators need the co-operation from all sides of the economy, including the enforcement; from the law to the environment police.

While the low value ringgit may make Malaysia an overall cheap destination, it is also not exactly good to the local population already struggling with rising living costs.

The country needs to find ways to improve its supply chain – make it more efficient to ensure that essential goods such as food and shelter, as well as public transport are reasonably priced.

The unwritten rule of commissions in the industry also needs to be vetted because if there is marked up too high, tourists would end up spending more than they had envisioned.

We need to arrest the exploitative elements which exist in the leisure circles all over the world by ensuring that the scammers offering fake services, are dethroned.

If others are doing it, it does not mean that we must do it, especially when it is wrong to scam.

There is also a need to ensure that the hotel room tariffs are relatively cost competitive, as nowadays tourists can easily compare prices due to the evolution of online travel, while one cannot discount the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the inbound markets.

Malaysia needs to position herself as a value for money destination and equal emphasis should be given to boost domestic tourism.

It is disheartening to be told that millions are spend in Haadyai, southern Thai.

But again to ensure success in the campaign, there must be a buy in from everybody.

Local authorities need to ensure cleanliness and traffic police need to improve on mobility coordination in congested areas, instead of just marshalling roadblocks.

There needs to be a bigger deployment of our police to ensure that traffic congestion can be better mitigated – the last thing one wants, is to have a high – paying tourist stuck in our notorious jams.

Tourism planners must also unveil stimulus packages to ensure tourists to spend more.

Yes, there are grants accorded to entice tourists, but the bureaucracy is quite cumbersome.

We should help every Malaysian keen to boost tourism instead of imposing barriers.

Do not employ politics in the industry, which is designed to spread happiness.

Just ask traders along Pandak Mayah in Kuah, Langkawi or Malay Street in Penang, whether they are receiving as many tourists as what goes reported.

Majority would fume at you – there is a need to make the spillover effects of tourism evenly spread by ensuring that tourists can spend more and guides are encouraged to promote all places, not just ones, which offer the informal form of corruption through commission.

What entices the spending habit?

Our products and services must be cost effective and innovative – we must produce more of our own, instead of importing materials from China and Thailand as well as Vietnam.

We can offer the ASEAN regional experience but at the same time, we must prioritise our own country, as people come to visit us as Malaysians.

And lastly, the Visit Malaysia campaign is into its fifth edition with the first in 1990.

This one should cast a lasting spell on the need to promote eco – tourism above everything else.

We must be proud of what mother nature has gifted us and we must tell the world of our efforts to conserve and preserve it – it does not cost a single sen to dump litter in the right place and it does not cost anything to reduce the use of water. –

Perhaps the savings we earn from having to clean up less, can be channeled towards promoting Malaysia in the right way, as a nation at peace with sustainability efforts and a truly Asia destination.