The evolving desires of travellers have led to Malaysia tapping trends that include coffee trails, houseboat holidays and motorhome adventures.

Other escapades awaiting intrepid tourists include archaeological experiences and dark tourism, which includes visiting places where some of the darkest events of human history unfolded.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Manoharan Periasamy said that besides introducing these novel experiences, Malaysia would also enhance its existing niche tourism, which is witnessing an upward trend.

“These include bird watching, luxury camping (glamping), fishing excursions, hiking expeditions, culinary tours and specially curated packages for weddings, honeymoons and wellness retreats,” he told The Star.

To diversify its reach, Mr Manoharan said Malaysia would promote not just capital city Kuala Lumpur but also lesser-known locales that feature unique culture, heritage and possibilities for adventure, as well as culinary and agro-based tourism.

“The broader strategy is to position Malaysia as a multifaceted destination for health and wellness, luxury travel and vibrant festivals and events,” he said.

This could foster urban and rural revitalisation, Mr Manoharan added.

To effectively market these diverse experiences, he said Tourism Malaysia – which is the country’s tourism promotion board – was set to roll out strategic initiatives such as joint programmes and partnerships with key tourism stakeholders to strengthen marketing campaigns.

“The aim is to extend the promotional reach and maximise the impact of our efforts.”

Additionally, Mr Manoharan said public relations activities were also on the agenda to enhance media coverage and visibility for Malaysia’s tourism sector.

“Familiarisation trips are being organised to host media and travel industry professionals so that they can experience Malaysia’s offerings first hand.

“This move is expected to generate buzz and drive interest in Malaysia as a travel destination,” he said.

Tourism Malaysia is also focused on delivering seminars and workshops aimed at equipping industry players with the necessary skills to offer top-notch experiential tourism products.

He also said participation in trade exhibitions and consumer tourism fairs would further support the effort to bring Malaysia’s multi-dimensional tourism offerings to the global stage.

At the heart of these endeavours is the “Malaysia Truly Asia” brand, now concentrated on sustainable and experiential tourism.