Up The Ante: Tiong Tells Industry Players To Capitalise On Overseas Travel Agents To Captivate Tourists

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- 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.

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.

“Malaysia has advantages in terms of diverse tourism products, culture and hospitality, but these advantages will not stand out without a more aggressive collaboration network, especially with international travel agents who can bring in large groups of tourists,” he said.

He made the remarks when delivering his mandate at the 2025 Tourism Malaysia Overseas Directors Meeting held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) today.

Also present were 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 that several issues need attention to increase the number of foreign tourist arrivals, including the lack of direct flight connectivity, insufficient comprehensive digital promotion in key markets, as well as fierce competition from regional destinations.

“Our promotions need to be more aggressive, creative and targeted, especially on digital platforms. Showcase Malaysia so that we stand out in the international market with a fresh and high-impact narrative. At the same time, direct flight access from key markets must be expanded to facilitate tourist arrivals,” he said.

He stressed that close cooperation between the public and private sectors, including airlines, tour operators, digital agencies and international travel agents is vital to ensure that promotions run smoothly, thereby supporting the target of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026 or TMM2026).

The government previously set a target of attracting at least 35 million international tourists with tourism revenue exceeding RM147 billion by VM2026.

In this context, Tiong said travel agents cannot rely on outdated methods and should be smart in offering value-added packages that emphasise Malaysia's uniqueness, including ecotourism and health tourism.

At a subsequent press conference, Tiong stated that his ministry is working to achieve the target of 40 million tourist arrivals this year, after recording 38 million last year.

“As of June this year, we have received 20.6 million tourists. So, I believe the target of 40 million arrivals can be achieved with the cooperation of all parties. We cannot be complacent as competition from other destinations is very fierce,” he said.

He also emphasised key markets such as China, India, the Middle East, and other ASEAN countries as among areas that need to be strengthened through dedicated marketing campaigns.

The three-day 2025 Tourism Malaysia Overseas Directors Meeting concluded today, aiming to present an action plan ahead of VM2026.

-- BERNAMA