PETALING JAYA: The co-hosts of the Global Travel Meet Gala Dinner have expressed regret to the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry and Tourism Malaysia over the controversy that arose after alcohol was served at the event.
In a joint statement, the Malaysian Indian Travel & Tours Association (Mitta), the Malaysian Inbound Chinese Association (Mica) and the Malaysia My 2nd Home Consultants Association (MM2HCA) said they understood the sensitivities raised and wished to convey their apologies to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
“We urge that all irresponsible and misleading statements being disseminated on this matter cease immediately,” it said in a statement on Monday (Oct 6).
The associations stressed that the Gala Dinner, held on Oct 1 at the Grand Ballroom of Sunway Resort, was fully organised and paid for by tourism industry players, not by the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia.
They noted that the ministry and Tourism Malaysia had used the wider Global Travel Meet event to launch the Visit Malaysia 2026 Calendar of Events.
The gathering, they said, was the first of its kind in Malaysia and successfully generated over RM420mil in economic impact by bringing together more than 600 international buyers and over 100 international media representatives.
The statement also highlighted the strong performance of Malaysia’s tourism sector, with over 38 million tourist arrivals recorded in 2024 and more than 20 million arrivals registered in the first half of this year.
“The tourism industry players will continue to work hand in hand with the Ministry and Tourism Malaysia to ensure Malaysia remains the preferred tourist destination,” it added.
Earlier, Masjid Tanah MP Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin had questioned the serving of alcohol at the dinner, saying it was inappropriate for an event involving a government agency.
However, Tiong has clarified that Tourism Malaysia was not responsible for serving alcohol at a recent Gala Dinner held during the Global Travel Meet.
He said the private sector organised the catering and was not part of Tourism Malaysia’s official programme, adding that the agency’s role was limited to launching the Visit Malaysia 2026 events calendar at the same venue.
