JOHOR BARU: Business-to-business (B2B) sessions to attract Singaporean tourists by connecting travel agents from both sides of the Causeway have shown positive results, says Tourism Malaysia.
Its deputy director-general (promotions II) Lee Thai Hung said one of the business matching sessions was held in conjunction with the three-day Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia (SKCCM) at the Paradigm Mall Convention Centre here.
“The event serves as a platform for industry players from both countries to collaborate and develop new tour packages.
“We are teaming up with Star Media Group (SMG) for the SKCCM roadshow for this effort. The carnival was successfully held in Pahang, Selangor, Sarawak and Penang before coming to the south.
“For the Johor edition of the roadshow, we provided a platform for a B2B session with Singaporean tourism players to carry out business matching with Malaysian players,” he said at a press conference after launching the event yesterday.
Lee said the B2B segment was an important part of the effort to promote Malaysia’s diverse destinations, cuisines and cultures, especially as Johor serves as a key gateway for tourists entering the country by land from Singapore.
“In the past, our focus was mainly on promoting destinations, but now we also highlight traditional food and local travel agents to show Malaysia’s diversity,” he said.
He added that such sessions had already begun to yield results, with many Singaporean players impressed by the lesser-known Malaysian destinations, not just in Johor but also other parts of the country.
Supporting the local tourism industry: Lee (centre, showing the heart sign), with Wang (on his right) launching the Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia at Paradigm Mall Convention Centre in Johor Baru.
“Through this platform, many Singapore industry players are discovering new destinations beyond the conventional ones they already know,” he said.
Asked about Visit Malaysia 2026 preparations, Lee said efforts were progressing well, with strong interest and coordination from both local and international partners.
After the event, Lee, accompanied by SMG chief operating officer Lydia Wang, toured the booths to speak to tourism players and sampled some local food and beverages.
The SKCCM Johor event, held until today, is jointly organised by Tourism Malaysia and SMG.
It aims to promote domestic travel and celebrate Malaysia’s cultural diversity through interactive experiences, heritage food, performances and exclusive travel deals.
Visitors can explore about 70 booths showcased by travel agencies, hotels, resorts, theme parks, tourist attractions, homestay operators, as well as local craft and food product vendors.
