Tourism Malaysia won the Silver Award in the Government/Public Sector category at the Drum Marketing Awards APAC during the Awards Show on May 30 in Singapore.

The award recognises the exceptional ‘Selamat Kembali to Malaysia’ campaign developed by BBC StoryWorks for the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) in 2023, according to a Tourism Malaysia statement.

“In a post-pandemic world, the MTPB identified an opportunity to re-establish Malaysia as a premier tourism destination. The campaign aimed to capitalise on the growing demand for experiential and authentic travel. The objective was to boost awareness and shift brand sentiment, positioning Malaysia as an accessible, eclectic country full of unique experiences worth exploring.

“BBC StoryWorks developed the ‘Selamat Kembali to Malaysia’ (Welcome Back to Malaysia) campaign to entice savvy, affluent and conscientious travellers to venture beyond the familiar and discover more of Malaysia. The campaign achieved outstanding results, surpassing its key performance indicators (KPIs) with over 16 million video views and 1.3 million page views,” it said.

According to Tourism Malaysia, further research by BBC StoryWorks’ science of engagement studies on the five films revealed a 12 per cent uplift in brand favourability, an 11 per cent increase in purchase intent and a 96 per cent desire to engage with the brand.

“The Drum Marketing Awards APAC underscored the effectiveness and impact of the ‘Selamat Kembali to Malaysia’ campaign in rebranding and promoting Malaysia as a top-tier tourism destination,” it said.

The Drum Awards is a prestigious global awards programme that celebrates best practices, outstanding companies, and remarkable individuals in marketing and communications.