KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (MOTAC) will leverage ASEAN platforms to promote Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026), positioning the country as a key regional and global tourism destination. MOTAC secretary-general, Datuk Roslan Abdul Rahman, emphasized that as ASEAN Chair for 2025, Malaysia will seize strategic opportunities to showcase its tourist destinations, unique arts, culture, and heritage.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the launch of VMY2026 is part of Malaysia’s plan, with MOTAC employing programmes under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 to the fullest for promotional purposes. Roslan highlighted these efforts at a special press conference following an ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) briefing in preparation for the chairmanship.

Malaysia is set to officially assume the ASEAN Chairmanship on January 1, 2025, with the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” and will host over 300 related meetings, programmes, and summits. The VMY2026 campaign is expected to att
ract 35.6 million international tourists, generating an estimated revenue of RM147.1 billion.