An island of Langkawi archipelago, a tourist attraction of Malaysia (Photo: Shutterstock) According to AkmalAdanan, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, UiTMMelaka Campus, the budget allocates substantial resources to rejuvenate thetourism sector, emphasising its important role in economic growth.
One of the keydevelopments is the decision to reinstate Tahun Melawat Malaysia (VisitMalaysia Year) in 2026, with a goal of welcoming 26.1 millionforeign tourists and achieving domestic spending of 97.6 billion RM (20.7billion USD).
This commitment is a step towards revitalising Malaysia’s position as a premier global tourismdestination. To achieve this, the government has set aside 350 million RM forpromotional activities aimed at regaining Malaysia’s status as a preferredglobal tourism destination.
The budgetacknowledges the significance of preserving and maintaining touristattractions, historical sites, and cultural heritage.
Furthermore, 20million RM is earmarked for state governments to maintain and restore tourismhotspots, and 80 million RM for the conservation and restorationof heritage sites with UNESCO potential.
The commitment of 20million RM to Think City for the revitalisation of Kuala Lumpur as a creativeand cultural hub is a testament to the government’s forward-looking approach,he said.
Recognisingthe substantial contributions of the tourism and manufacturing sectors tonational development, the government is committed to introducing newinitiatives under the Malaysia Visa Liberalisation Plan.
Thethree actions outlined in the budget are to simplify the approval process forEmployment Passes for strategic investors in key sectors; introducing Long-TermSocial Visit Passes for international students who have completed theirstudies; and enhancing facilities for Visa-On-Arrival, social visit passes, andoffering Multiple Entry Visas to encourage the entry of tourists and investors,particularly from India and China./.
VNA
