By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 9: Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture through its agency Tourism Malaysia has launched the highly anticipated Edu+ programme to elevate Malaysia’s edutourism and cultural exchange sector.
According to a media release, this initiative targets students, especially those under the age of 16, who hold tourist visas to pursue short-term education programmes while vacationing in Malaysia.
Together in collaboration with the National Association of Private Educational Institutions (NAPEI), a well-established organisation with over 36 years of experience, Edu+ reflects the synergy between the tourism and education sectors to create unique learning opportunities.
In its initial phase, the Edu+ programme focuses on the Japanese market, with plans to expand to other regions such as South Korea, China, Russia, and Vietnam. The initiative is designed to promote cultural exchange, educational enrichment, and tourism growth between nations.
Featuring a comprehensive model centred around learning English at educational institutions in Malaysia, the Edu+ programme encompasses various components, including education, cultural and heritage experiences, collaborations with local schools, homestay experiences, sports tourism learning, eco and nature experiences, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) programmes.
Presently, 19 private educational institutions and eight travel agencies have committed to developing Edu+ packages under this programme.
Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan emphasised that Malaysia, as a country rich in diversity, history, arts and culture, has great potential in this tourism segment where Edu+ is set to have a key role in attracting young tourists to explore the uniqueness of the country.
“It is estimated that as many as 10,000 students will enrol in this programme in 2024, generating RM50 million in income for the country,” he said during the event at Kuala Lumpur.
This initiative aligns with Malaysia’s broader tourism goals ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026, a national campaign aimed at drawing in 23.5 million tourists and RM147.1 billion in tourism receipts.
Edu+ is poised to enhance the national tourism industry by indirectly driving Malaysia towards becoming a preferred tourist destination in the region.
To learn more about the Edu+ programme and its exciting offerings, visit www.malaysia.travel. — DayakDaily
