@Halal January/February 2024 | Page 26

06 Cover Story

06 Cover Story

January-February . 2024
Dato ' Sri Tiong King Sing at the launching ceremony of Visit Melaka Year ( VMY2024 ).

Countdown to Visit Malaysia Year 2026

MOTAC aims to strengthen the tourism foundation in the coming year through improved accessibility and the promotion of Muslim-friendly tourism
BY FATIHAH MANAF

VISIT Malaysia Year is a periodic campaign to showcase Malaysia as a premier Asian tourist destination . Introduced in 1990 with the theme ‘ Fascinating Malaysia . Year of Festivals ,’ the campaign has evolved with various iconic taglines and lineups , consistently drawing a significant number of tourists .

After facing disruptions for the campaign , notably due to the global impact of the Covid- 19 pandemic in 2020 , Malaysia is gearing up for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 .
With only two years left , the coming year becomes essential for tourism stakeholders to prepare and bounce back resiliently from challenges . This period sets the groundwork for a robust comeback .
According to the Minister of Tourism , Arts and Culture , Dato ’ Sri Tiong King Sing , 2024 is a crucial preparation period for the highly anticipated Visit Malaysia Year 2026 .
With this national event on the horizon , the Ministry of Tourism , Arts , and Culture ( MOTAC ) is actively working to capitalise on the momentum and lay a solid foundation for future success . This includes supporting Visit State Year 2024 , which is set to unfold in Perak , Melaka , Kelantan , and Perlis as each state actively prepares for this landmark occasion .
ENHANCING MALAYSIA ’ S ACCESSIBILITY
“ In further strengthening our efforts to enhance Malaysia ’ s appeal to global tourists , MOTAC is actively working to improve the country ’ s accessibility by forging strategic collaborations with local government organisations and international partners , with a particular emphasis on fostering strong ties within the Southeast Asian region ,” said Tiong .
MOTAC is also encouraging airlines to
Dato ' Sri Tiong ( second left ) and ITC Director-General Nizran Noordin ( second right ) alongside the participants of the Fam Trip .
MOTAC , in strategic collaboration with the Melaka State Government , will organise the World Tourism Day ( WTD ) and World Tourism Conference ( WTC ) in 2025 .