Malaysia targets 47m tourists including Bangladeshis next year

Malaysia has unveiled an ambitious plan to attract 47 million international visitors, including three lakh from Bangladesh, next year under its flagship Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, aiming to boost regional tourism and strengthen global connectivity.

Malaysian Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan unveiled this while inaugurating the Global Travel Meet 2025 at Kuala Lumpur today, said a press release here.

The three-day global tourism business event, which began at the World Trade Centre, has brought together 600 international buyers and 400 Malaysian sellers, including hoteliers, travel agents, airlines, and diverse tourism operators.

Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus underscored the significance of the gathering, saying: “Global Travel Meet 2025 is more than just an event; it is a platform where ideas are transformed into action. This event stands as a vital catalyst in igniting renewed energy and driving strong momentum into the year ahead through the collective efforts of government, industry players, and partners in realising Kuala Lumpur’s ambitious goals for VM2026.”

The release said the programme will feature business-to-business sessions, high-impact networking, strategic business matching, and familiarization trips designed to showcase Malaysia’s cultural, eco-tourism, culinary and adventure offerings.

Backed by Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Batik Air and key tourism associations including the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA) and Malaysian Indian Tour & Travel Association (MITTA), the event is aimed at consolidating Malaysia’s position as a leading travel destination.

Malaysia’s tourism industry has posted strong growth following the pandemic.

In 2024, the country recorded 38 million international arrivals, a 31.1 percent increase from 2023 and surpassing pre-pandemic 2019 levels by 8.3 percent.

From January to July 2025 alone, international arrivals reached 24.5 million-up 16.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Tourism Malaysia expressed confidence that the robust momentum, combined with strategic partnerships and promotional efforts, will help the country achieve its 47 million visitor target in 2026.