KULAI: Johor officially kicked off Visit Johor Year 2026 with welcoming events held simultaneously at air, land and sea entry points across the state, as the government targets 12 million visitors and an estimated RM42bil in economic impact by the end of this year.
State housing and local government committee chairman Datuk Mohd Jafni Md Shukor said the celebrations were held at major gateways, including Senai International Airport, ferry terminals in Puteri Harbour, Stulang Laut and Kukup, as well as land entry points such as the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI), Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB) and Pagoh R&R.
“The celebration today marks the beginning of Visit Johor Year 2026 and is aimed at welcoming tourists from both within and outside the country,” he told reporters after welcoming passengers from Jakarta at Senai International Airport here on Thursday (Jan 1).
He noted that Johor recorded 7.9 million domestic and international tourists who stayed at least one night across the state as of September, 2025, indicating strong growth momentum heading into 2026.
“This is not a one-agency effort. It involves cooperation between state and federal agencies, and planning has been carried out over the past few years.
“We are now ready to receive visitors from around the world as they visit Johor,” he said.
Addressing Johor’s readiness to host a surge in visitors, Mohd Jafni said the state has implemented extensive beautification and cleanliness programmes since the launch of the Johor Bersih campaign in 2022, involving all 16 local authorities.
Mohd Jafni also said that more than 100 tourism-related events have been lined up throughout 2026.
He added that tourism counters at Senai International Airport have also been enhanced with brochures and information highlighting attractions across all 10 districts in Johor.
Regarding accommodation, Jafni said Johor currently has about 500 registered hotels, ranging from two- to five-star, offering approximately 8,000 rooms, excluding homestays.
“We believe the existing capacity is sufficient to support Visit Johor Year 2026,” he added.
