The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing is undertaking a working visit to France and the United Kingdom (UK) from 29 September to 7 October 2024. Accompanying the Minister is Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia.

This visit aims to reinforce Malaysia’s tourism ties with France and the UK, bolstering its position as a premier travel destination for both markets. Key objectives include strengthening relationships with decision-makers and exploring new collaborative ventures to attract more tourists.

A highlight of the visit will be a business networking session, bringing together Malaysian and tourism stakeholders from both countries. This event will serve as a platform to discuss strategic initiatives and opportunities, particularly for the upcoming Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM 2026), in developing exclusive packages and tailor-made itineraries that cater to the diverse preferences of travellers from both markets.

The session will be attended by key partners, including airlines, leading travel agents, and industry leaders, underlining the importance of the French and UK markets to Malaysia’s tourism strategy.

The UK remains Malaysia’s largest European market, contributing 240,815 tourist arrivals from January to August 2024, representing a significant 34.7% growth compared to the same period in 2023 (178,725). France, meanwhile, maintains its position within the top 5 European markets, with 115,036 arrivals from January to August 2024, compared to 81,061 during the same period last year.

With VM 2026 on the horizon, Malaysia aims to boost international tourist arrivals, projecting 35.6 million arrivals and RM147.1 billion in tourism receipts. This visit also underscores Malaysia’s commitment to attracting 27.3 million foreign tourists and generating RM102.7 billion in tourism receipts this year.