PETALING JAYA: In conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026, a Tourism Labour Day celebration and a Water Musical Festival in Bukit Bintang will be among the key events lined up by the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing said the Tourism Labour Day celebration will be held together with the Water Musical Festival, starting on May 1 and running for three days.
"The event will take place in Bukit Bintang, and certain roads in the area will be closed to accommodate the celebrations," he said after the launch of the Strategic Cooperation between Tourism Malaysia and Oriental Kopi for the "Rasa Malaysia" promotion on Wednesday (Jan 21).
The ministry will launch its tourism calendar by the end of this month, with more programmes to be announced soon.
Tiong said the events are part of the ministry’s broader tourism calendar, which is being finalised as it receives collaboration requests from various stakeholders, including hotels and industry players.
"We are in the final stages of coordinating with our partners. Once everything is finalised, we will make the announcement before the end of this month," he said.
He added that the tourism calendar plays an important role in sustaining promotional momentum ahead of Visit Malaysia 2026 while spreading activities beyond major holiday seasons.
The minister said major events are being planned to attract domestic and international visitors, as well as to support tourism-related businesses such as hotels, retailers and small and medium enterprises.
According to Tourism Malaysia, as part of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, the country will roll out a year-long calendar of more than 300 events highlighting its multicultural identity and heritage.
Key highlights include the Visit Malaysia 2026 Chinese New Year, Aidilfitri, Deepavali and Christmas festivals, alongside cultural celebrations such as Tadau Kaamatan and Gawai Dayak.
These curated events will offer immersive experiences ranging from cultural parades and culinary showcases to traditional performances and community-led festivities throughout the year.
