Melaka has been confirmed as the official host for the launch of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026), according to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

The announcement was made during an engagement session with over 1,000 tourism industry stakeholders at Bukit Cina on Wednesday. Datuk Seri Tiong revealed that the federal government has approved the budget for the event, while the Melaka state government will be responsible for the overall preparations.

“The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has given his approval, and the launch is scheduled to take place on World Tourism Day 2025, in September,” he said.

The event was officiated by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh and also attended by Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy and State Tourism, Arts and Culture Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Razak Abdul Rahman.

Datuk Seri Tiong called on all tourism stakeholders to actively promote VM2026 through various platforms, particularly social media, to ensure its success.

“This initiative is crucial for strengthening the tourism-driven economy and ensuring the benefits are felt by all, especially the people,” he added.