Bold targets, but can VM2026 deliver?

MALAYSIA is once again positioning itself on the global travel map, inviting both first-time and returning visitors to experience the breadth of what the country offers.

Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) marks the country’s latest push to capture the global traveller’s imagination – not with grand declarations alone, but with the everyday charms that have long defined the Malaysian experience.

These campaigns are not unfamiliar territory – Malaysia has been running them for decades but the question here is, whether the numbers can match the nostalgia and ambition next year.

Malaysia’s broad appeal, spanning food, nature, heritage and urban life all work in its favour, yet hitting those targets will depend on more than just clever marketing.

For 2026, Malaysia will aim to attract 47 million visitors and generate RM329bil in tourism revenue.

Optimism has been inevitable for many – trade bodies have been gearing up for the influx of visitors, buoyed by a calendar packed with promotions that are promising to inject fresh energy, colour and buzz into the industry.

The Malaysian Tourism Federation president Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel says VM2026 must become an all-round national agenda that delivers stronger arrivals, higher visitor spending, and equitable benefits across all states.

He says as Tourism Malaysia has plenty of programmes and campaigns in the pipeline, the industry must be ready to support them.

“Today’s travellers seek authentic local experiences, digital convenience, sustainability and consistent quality,” he tells StarBiz 7.

Ganesh adds that what works right now are, the ongoing promotional efforts, the recovery of domestic tourism and the increase in sustainability and community-based tourism initiatives.

So what isn’t working?

According to Ganesh, there are concerns over service consistencies, online visibility and air connectivity.

“One of the decisive factors that would measure the success of VM2026 is air connectivity and ease of entry. Affordable and frequent flights, expanded route capacity, and efficient visa or entry processes are key to achieving VM2026 targets.

“Without accessible and seamless travel, even the best marketing campaign will struggle to convert interest into arrivals,” he explains.

The government announced a 30-day visa-free entry for visitors from China and India at the end of 2023, and has since seen a greater upswing in numbers of visitors.

More than four million visitors from China and India have visited Malaysia since the implementation of this policy.

To add on to that, Malaysia Airlines will commence daily flights between KL and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport beginning Jan 9, 2026 while its subsidiary, Firefly, launched new jet services to Krabi, Siem Reap and Cebu from November this year.

Safe to say, the industry is hopeful that the region will continue to be one of the main growth drivers for the industry.

Can online storytelling move tourists?

The numbers do make a compelling case, but the question of what really tips the balance for an undecided visitor is something worth pondering.

Some opine that creative, engaging online content should do the trick.

Is seeing a pristine shot of an island in the Philippines with its turquoise waters, soft sand and a promise of a quiet escape enough to turn it into a search, booking and departure?

Your Inbound Matters founder Uzaidi Udanis reckons that when it comes to losing ground to other idyllic destinations within the region, the gap is digital, rather than the quality of the destination.

He believes Malaysia has world-class attractions but a weak online presence.

“Bookable and unique experiences are fewer, and when it comes to small and medium sized-enterprises, so many are outdated in terms of their products and services.

“Countries like Thailand, Vietnam and even Japan jumped very quickly on social media to do its storytelling for them,” he says.

This is not to say Malaysians are not scaling up on digital content quickly, but the challenge here is, it’s all rather fragmented.

Official campaigns are nicely polished, but the rest of the online tourism content is scattered across influencers and some smaller businesses that can afford to create and publish content online.

“We lack conversion-ready content. Once Malaysian operators are empowered with proper digital tools, artificial intelligence support, and marketplace onboarding, we can close that gap quickly.”

Now, more than just having large numbers of visitors, Malaysian Association of Hotels president Datin Christina Toh says her focus is to build a resilient hospitality ecosystem.

“The hotel industry is optimistic about VM2026. If we look at data from Tourism Malaysia, there are 5,319 registered hotels offering approximately 347,534 rooms which is adequate to service the 47 million visitors we’re targeting,” she says.

For her, staffing is still a main concern. “The industry is facing a severe talent drain. Fewer locals are entering careers in hospitality, influenced in part by the pull of the gig economy.

“Currently, most hotel operations are being sustained by complex and costly foreign worker arrangements,” she explains.

With that, Toh says the association expects a pick-up from the Asean market in particular as the many efforts being put in place will hopefully reap its rewards.

A tourist’s take

If you are wondering what a tourist truly thinks about Malaysia, and would he or she ever become a recurring visitor, here’s a perspective from the founder of Travelynne, a sustainable travel platform and planning service.

Lynne Lessard says having lived in Kuala Lumpur for the past five years, she has had the opportunity to travel around the country as well as within the region including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

“In my experience, Thailand is one of the easiest countries to visit because tourism is well understood and it’s quite easy to navigate even with the language barrier, and it has incredible landscapes, food and hospitality.

“Vietnam, even with having one of the biggest language barriers in the region, has such underrated food, culture, and people,” she says.

Would she come back to live in Malaysia? The Canadian-born says it’s unlikely, but she would visit again.

“Malaysia has some highly underrated destinations for nature lovers – especially in Borneo. That said, the signs of deforestation were very apparent, which was sobering in contrast to the beauty of the region.

“It reinforced for me how important responsible tourism is, alongside meaningful government action, to ensure these ecosystems are properly protected.”

It’s clear to see VM2026 is a familiar campaign, only set in a different era. Time will tell whether it can deliver.

If the campaign can strike the right balance between scale and sustainability, it may well reinforce Malaysia’s standing as a destination that is not only beautiful to visit, but worth protecting for generations to come.