TOURISM Malaysia has urged the travel trade community to look at regional inbound markets to tap following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.
With signs that the war with Iran is spreading, causing the shutdown of the global aviation hub in the Arab peninsula, Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk P. Manoharan said that for now, the focus may need to shift to regional markets where efforts should be doubled up to entice markets such as India and China.
Manoharan said that it is unfortunate that the conflict broke just as Malaysia is gearing up for the “Visit Malaysia Year 2026” campaign.
The campaign plans to attract 47 million international tourists and generate RM329 billion in revenue, following a record-breaking 42.19 million arrivals in 2025.
It focuses on high-spending tourists, digital marketing, and enhanced connectivity, with major investments in infrastructure like airport upgrades and visa-free travel for key markets.
It was reported that tourist arrivals have exceeded expectations, prompting the government to consider revising its targets under the Visit Malaysia.
The Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing was reported as saying that the original target for Visit Malaysia 2026 was 35.6 million arrivals.
However, the country has already recorded 38 million visitors in 2024.
For now, there is a wait-and-see approach, but it does help to be adaptive, so there is a need to look at the regional markets, said Manoharan.
He was giving his remarks after attending the soft launch of a Malaysian-owned online travel portal called mystravels.com, which is owned and operated by Tropical Charters Sdn Bhd, a leading cruise operator in Langkawi.
Some travel trade entrepreneurs have confided that the impact will be profound on the tourism scene if the conflict persists.
Already, several Malaysians are trapped in Doha and Dubai in the Middle East, as the busiest airports in the world are now temporarily shut.
On the portal, Manoharan said that there is a need to produce localised content and personal experience interactions for global travellers.
He said that digitalised tourism has become the focal point of selling and marketing following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.
So what Tropical Charters hopes to accomplish should be supported, he said.
He also noted that tourism is now driven by free independent travellers, who rely on online travel for the right information to make their choices and to experience what the leisure world has to offer.
The site founder Datuk Alexander Issac sees the portal as a one-stop centre for tourists to gain information and make bookings.
“We want to simplify travel and build on the tourist-operator relationship. We also want to do away with tourist traps, which leave a bad reputation for both the travellers and the operators offering them,” said Alexander.
The site offers flights, hotels, tourist activities, experiences, and customised travel packages across Malaysia and regional destinations.
Kedah executive councillor for Tourism, Culture, and Entrepreneurship Datuk Mohd Salleh Saidin was present for the soft launch at the Parkroyal Resort.
