Tourism Malaysia continues to strengthen the country’s tourism ecosystem through an industry engagement session held today at Iconic Marjorie Hotel, Bayan Lepas, Penang, in preparation for the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026).
The event, the eleventh in a series of engagement sessions previously held in several states, focused on coordinating promotional strategies and strengthening cross-sector collaboration to ensure active participation from industry players in making VMY2026 a success.
The ceremony was officiated by Dato’ Yeoh Soon Hin, Deputy Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, and attended by YB Wong Hon Wai, Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy, along with Shahrin Mokhtar, Deputy Director-General (Planning) of Tourism Malaysia. Representatives from government agencies, airlines, hoteliers, tourism product operators and local industry players were also present.
“Penang possesses unique qualities as a tourism destination with its historical value, culture and diverse communities that complement each other. Its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site further strengthens its position as a key destination for culture and sustainability-based tourism ahead of VMY2026,” said Dato’ Yeoh Soon Hin.
He further emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts: “For VMY2026 to succeed, I urge everyone present today to embrace this campaign as a national mission. We must focus on preparations to receive domestic and international visitors, including infrastructure improvements, cleanliness, and development of new tourism products and packages.”
YB Wong Hon Wai highlighted Penang’s readiness for the national campaign: “This nationwide initiative is crucial in revitalising the country’s tourism sector post-pandemic. We in Penang welcome and fully support the implementation of this campaign.”
“With close cooperation between the federal and state governments, along with solid support from industry players, I am confident that Visit Malaysia Year 2026 will successfully elevate Malaysia’s name in the international tourism arena. Penang is committed to being one of the main contributors to this success,” Wong added.
The Penang State Government is actively enhancing tourism infrastructure while supporting inclusive green and digital tourism initiatives. These efforts include heritage conservation programmes and hosting various high-impact cultural events capable of attracting tourists from both within and outside the country.
With solid support from all parties, Penang is ready to play an important role in making VMY2026 a success, thereby strengthening Malaysia’s position as a premier sustainable and competitive tourism destination internationally.
The Tourism Malaysia engagement session is part of nationwide preparations for VMY2026, which aims to attract 45 million foreign visitors with a targeted tourism revenue of RM270 billion in 2025.
