Kuala lumpur: Tourism Malaysia is leveraging the fifth edition of The Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia as a platform for business-to-business (B2B) engagement, aiming to strengthen cross-border tourism and showcase Malaysia’s diverse destinations, cuisine, and cultural experiences.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tourism Malaysia Deputy Director-General (Promotions II) Lee Thai Hung stated that the carnival, held in Johor Bahru in collaboration with Star Media Group, includes a B2B session that unites industry players from Singapore and Malaysia. This initiative is designed to facilitate business matching and promote new travel packages.

Lee emphasized that the B2B session offers a platform for industry players to introduce their latest programmes and destinations. He noted that the session enables participants to explore non-traditional destinations and offerings beyond conventional packages. His remarks came during a press conference following the official opening of The Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Johor at Paradigm Mall Convention Centre.

Despite being held in Johor, the carnival encompasses the entirety of Malaysia, with participants from Sarawak, Sabah, Pahang, and other states promoting their destinations and traditional cuisine. Lee highlighted that this approach focuses on cross-border tourism, particularly attracting Singaporeans and other foreign visitors entering Malaysia via land at Johor.

The response from industry players has been encouraging, with preparations and interest increasing as the country gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026 and Visit Johor 2026. Lee also mentioned recent support from the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, who conducted site visits to assess readiness for next year’s tourism programmes.

Lee expressed hope that feedback from both Singaporean and local industry participants will aid them in being better prepared and fully ready to achieve tourism targets in 2026. The Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Johor, held from Nov 7 to 9, continues to showcase Malaysia’s cultural diversity, traditional cuisine, and unique travel experiences, while serving as a strategic platform for business collaboration in the tourism sector.