Kuala lumpur: All local tourism industry players, including hoteliers, tour operators, and travel agents, are urged to be more aggressive in enhancing cooperation and interaction with international industry partners in efforts to attract more foreign tourists to Malaysia.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing stated that travel agents, in particular, play a crucial role as key links in offering integrated packages, promoting new destinations, and ensuring that foreign tourists get a quality and worthwhile experience. Tiong emphasized the need for aggressive collaboration, especially with international travel agents who can bring in large groups of tourists.
He made the remarks during the 2025 Tourism Malaysia Overseas Directors Meeting held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL). The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Secretary-General (Management) of MOTAC, S. Surrendren, and Deputy Secretary-General (Tourism) of MOTAC, Chua Choon Hwa.
Tiong also acknowledged several challenges that need to be addressed to increase foreign tourist arrivals, such as the lack of direct flight connectivity, insufficient comprehensive digital promotion in key markets, and fierce competition from regional destinations. He stressed the importance of aggressive, creative, and targeted promotions, especially on digital platforms, to showcase Malaysia's uniqueness.
He highlighted the necessity for close cooperation between the public and private sectors, including airlines, tour operators, digital agencies, and international travel agents, to ensure successful promotions. This collaboration is crucial to support the target of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026), where the government aims to attract at least 35 million international tourists with tourism revenue exceeding RM147 billion.
Tiong advised travel agents to move beyond outdated methods and offer value-added packages emphasizing Malaysia's uniqueness, including ecotourism and health tourism. At a subsequent press conference, he revealed the ministry's target of 40 million tourist arrivals this year, following 38 million arrivals last year.
He identified key markets such as China, India, the Middle East, and other ASEAN countries as areas needing strengthened marketing campaigns. The three-day 2025 Tourism Malaysia Overseas Directors Meeting concluded with an action plan ahead of VM2026.