Tourism Malaysia has officially kicked off a three-city engagement series across the East Coast as part of ongoing preparations for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026). The first session, held in Kelantan at Renai Hotel, Kota Bharu, concluded successfully on 20 April, with the second session taking place today in Terengganu, followed by the final leg in Pahang on 22 April.

This engagement marks the sixth series of stakeholder sessions organized by Tourism Malaysia, following similar efforts in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah, Sarawak, and Melaka. The initiative builds on the official launch of the VMY2026 campaign, including the unveiling of the official logo, song, promotional video, and mascot.

The main objective of the engagement is to provide tourism players in Kelantan and the East Coast with detailed insights into government initiatives and funding opportunities spearheaded by Tourism Malaysia and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC). These include the Aviation and Charter Sector Grant (GSPC), Tourism Sector Support Grant (GSSP), GAMELAN incentives, and the Cultural Sector Support Grant (GSSK).

Also present were representatives from agencies such as JKKN, JWN, and BSVN, who presented their upcoming 2025 programs.

YB Datuk Kamaruddin Md Nor, Chairman of the Kelantan Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee, and YBhg. Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, were among the key figures in attendance.

Malaysia recorded 38 million tourist arrivals in 2024, up 31.1% from 2023. With Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, and India among the top source markets, the country now targets 45 million international arrivals and RM270 billion in tourism receipts by 2025 in the run-up to VMY2026.