Strategic collaboration among stakeholders vital for success of VM2026 - Tiong

MELAKA: Strategic cooperation among various parties, including ministries, state governments and industry players, as well as the people's support in the next three years are crucial to make a success of the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026) campaign, said Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

The Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister said strategic and efficient preparations are essential to activate the VM2026 campaign to maximise the economic impact and establish Malaysia as a key global tourism destination.

He said this was important considering that his ministry was targeting the arrival of 35.6 million foreign tourists in conjunction with VM2026 with an estimated domestic spend of RM147.1 billion.

"Malaysia is rich in tourism attractions, including natural beauty, diverse culture and arts. However, some states overlook these aspects and miss the opportunity to maximise existing tourism resources to drive the industry," he said at the launch of Visit Melaka Year 2024 (VMY2024) and New Year's Eve celebrations here tonight.

Also present were Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Mohd Ali Rustam, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh and other state leaders.

The event was also telecast live to the autonomous region of Zhuang Guangxi in China, which has a population of 58 million.

Tiong praised the strategic cooperation with the Melaka state government in organising VMY2024, which includes more than 70 events to welcome tourists.

He said the ministry also welcomes the state government's initiative to host international mega events such as World Tourism Day (WTD) and World Tourism Conference (WTC) 2025 from Sept 27 to 29, 2025 and expects them to have a positive impact on the country.

Ab Rauf said in his speech that the 2024 New Year celebrations in conjunction with the launch of VMY2024 will revitalise the tourism sector, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the state government is determined to rejuvenate the tourism sector through various strategies, initiatives and measures that are in line with Melaka's development direction to become one of the top three tourist destinations in Malaysia and the world.

-- BERNAMA