In a major step towards strengthening sports tourism between Malaysia and India, the Malaysia Sports Tourism Association and Tourism India Alliance have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during OTM 2025 in Mumbai. The agreement seeks to create new avenues for cross-border tourism and enhance the positioning of both nations as leading sports tourism destinations.

The MoU was signed by Jagdeep Bhagat, President of Tourism India Alliance, and Azura Zainol Abidin, President of the Malaysia Sports Tourism Association, with the presence of Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia. This partnership is aimed at facilitating industry expert exchanges, supporting joint participation in events, and organizing training programs, workshops, and networking sessions focused on sports tourism development.

The collaboration will also foster knowledge sharing through research reports, industry insights, and tourism trends. Both organizations plan to back each other's initiatives through digital platforms, marketing campaigns, and public relations activities, while exploring joint ventures and investment opportunities to expand the sports tourism landscape.

This strategic alliance is poised to create fresh opportunities, boost tourism initiatives, and elevate the global presence of both Malaysia and India in the sports tourism sector, setting the stage for sustained collaboration and mutual growth.