By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 11: Malaysia’s tourism sector achieved outstanding achievements in the first half of 2024, recording 11.8 million foreign tourist arrivals and generating RM45.4 billion in revenue.
Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture (Motac) Dato Sri Tiong King Sing attributed this success to the Ministry’s proactive initiatives to attract tourists, particularly from Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, and India.
The update was shared during the National Committee Meeting for Tourism and Culture Development, held at the Ministry’s office in Putrajaya on Monday (Sept 9).
The meeting was attended by the ministers including Sarawak Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Art Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, deputy ministers, and exco members of the National Cultural and Tourism Committee.
During the meeting, Tiong acknowledged the constructive proposals and concerns raised regarding the Malaysia My Second Home Programme (MM2H) and the Visit Malaysia 2026 Campaign (VM2026).
“The emphasis was on improving basic facilities and cleanliness at tourism destinations and recreational areas, as well as organising more programmes focusing on culture, arts, and heritage, and international standard tourism events,” he said in a post on his social media today.
Additionally, Motac also announced improvements to the MM2H application requirements and MM2H agent licensing, alongside the ongoing rollout of VM2026.
Themed ‘Malaysia: A Sustainable and Culturally Rich Destination’, VM2026 aims to draw 35.6 million foreign tourists and generate RM147 billion in spending.
“Therefore, Motac remains committed to collaborating closely with state governments and urges all parties to provide their support and constructive suggestions to further strengthen and advance the country’s tourism industry,” he added. — DayakDaily
