Kuantan: Tourism Malaysia is implementing a series of strategies to ensure the success of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), aiming to attract more international tourists to the country’s top destinations. Tourism Malaysia Eastern Region director Mohd Azizul Arif Yahaya expressed confidence that the initiative would positively impact the local tourism sector, supported by consistent digital, online, and offline promotional efforts.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Azizul outlined the first strategy as increasing the number of events and festivals to draw more tourists through continuous awareness and promotional campaigns. Additionally, he emphasized the aim to encourage tourists to extend their stays at each destination, with the goal of them spending two or three nights in one location. These remarks were made during an engagement session with Pahang tourism industry players held today.

This engagement session follows the official launch of the VM2026 logo, song, promotional video, and mascot, and is part of an ongoing engagement series that has already taken place in Kelantan and Terengganu. The session also seeks to provide comprehensive insights to tourism industry players in Pahang about the initiatives and opportunities offered by Tourism Malaysia and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, supporting the national agenda for VM2026.

Mohd Azizul added that the third strategy focuses on promoting Malaysia as a premier shopping destination, which will not only generate income but also boost the country’s economy. Additionally, the agency has identified a significant number of daily visitors from neighbouring countries like Singapore, Brunei, and Thailand, with a goal to convert these daily visitors into tourists by encouraging them to stay overnight.