Jakarta: About 50 Malaysian tourism industry organisations are taking part in a promotional programme for the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign here, in an effort to attract more Indonesian tourists to Malaysia as a preferred destination.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing stated that the tourism promotion mission covers various events in major cities, namely Jakarta, Surabaya, and Medan. He mentioned that this mission reflects Malaysia's continued commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation with industry partners in Indonesia, particularly in promoting VM2026.

The programme, which runs until May 2, involves various parties including state tourism boards, travel agencies, healthcare institutions, airlines, hotels and resorts, Malaysia My Second Home agents, as well as operators of various tourism products and attractions. Tiong emphasized the shared cultural, linguistic, and value-based similarities between Malaysia and Indonesia, highlighting that these aspects make the relationship mutually complementary.

Tiong also noted that Malaysians enjoy visiting Indonesia, and he believes Indonesians have a strong interest in exploring Malaysia's beauty. This close relationship is viewed as a solid foundation for the continued growth of tourism between both countries year after year.

Under the theme 'Malaysia: A Sustainable and Culturally Rich Destination', Tiong announced that the VM2026 events calendar, extended until the end of next year, will feature the World Labour Day Celebration cum Rain Rave Water Music Festival at Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur from April 30 to May 2. Additionally, the Malaysia Food and Culture Promotion programme was launched to further promote Malaysian cuisine in Indonesia, showcasing the uniqueness of Malaysia's traditional food and cultural heritage.