PETALING JAYA: Hotels are preparing to roll out the red carpet for tourists ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) by improving their customer service and premises like repainting and upgrading amenities.
With less than a month to 2026, Malaysia Budget and Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) national president Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel said the association is ensuring that hotels nationwide are ready to welcome increased visitor arrivals.
“Final preparations focus on enhancing guest experience through refreshed facilities, improved cleanliness and safety standards, and adequate staffing during peak periods.
“Many hotels are carrying out small but meaningful upgrades such as repainting, upgrading amenities, improving lighting, and enhancing lobby presentation,” he said, adding that the association was also working with service providers to ensure hotel services are up to date.
“Our priority is to provide every guest with a comfortable, reliable, and value-for-money stay throughout VM2026,” said Sri Ganesh, who is also Malaysian Tourism Federation (MTF) president.
Based on the Paid Accommodation Survey by Tourism Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang are the top three choices for international hotel guests between January and September this year.
Almost 9.6 million foreign visitors checked into hotels in the nation's capital, making Kuala Lumpur the most popular choice among the other states and territories within the period.
When it comes to domestic guests, Pahang topped the list with 7.26 million locals staying at hotels in the state.
On top of that, hotel staff are also being trained to deliver excellent service through the Mesra Malaysia programme by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.
The programme, which trains frontline tourism workers, focuses on international-standard communication skills and customer service.
Commenting on the initiative, Sri Ganesh said it was an important effort to raise Malaysia’s overall service standards.
“Its goal is to ensure that all frontline staff across tourism sectors deliver warm and professional hospitality.
“MyBHA fully supports this effort, as customer service excellence is one of Malaysia’s strongest competitive advantages.
“With proper training and consistent service delivery, we can strengthen our reputation as one of the world’s most welcoming destinations,” he added.
Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) president Datin Christina Toh said a nationwide training initiative for frontline hospitality staff was underway, with support of the VM2026 Secretariat.
“We recognise that with the expected influx of international tourists, readiness and service consistency are key.
“This training programme aims to standardise and elevate customer service quality across hotels.
“It will ensure that every visitor enjoys a consistently excellent Malaysian hospitality experience,” she said.
On efforts by Tourism Malaysia to promote Malaysian festivals like Hari Raya and Deepavali to draw tourists, Sri Ganesh lauded it, calling it an effective strategy to attract and retain tourist arrivals throughout the year.
“Each celebration offers a unique and authentic cultural experience that many travellers now actively seek.
“With coordinated promotion and strong community involvement, festival-based tourism can create multiple peaks in arrivals, helping to stabilise hotel occupancy rates and boosting local economies nationwide,” he said.
As VM2026 draws closer, Sri Ganesh also urged for the authorities to conduct stronger enforcement on the rise of unlicensed travel agencies and individuals or influencers selling travel and accommodation packages.
“During the MTF Council Meeting recently, members expressed serious concern about this increasing trend.
“These illegal activities mislead consumers, undermine legitimate tourism businesses and pose safety risks to travellers.
“MTF urges the government to review, monitor and take firm action against such operators and portals,” he said.
Strong enforcement is crucial to protect legitimate industry players, travellers and maintain industry standards.
“It will also ensure that VM2026 delivers a safe, organised, and positive experience for all visitors,” he added.
