KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will revise its Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign plans in response to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with a revamped programme expected to be unveiled within the next six weeks, says Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
The Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister said the ministry was reworking several components of the campaign to reflect the evolving geopolitical situation, which had already prompted the government to extend VM2026 until the end of 2027.
“Our programme has undergone some adjustments due to the continuing conflict in the Middle East.
“Within a month or a month and a half, we are reviewing and restructuring the programme before making an announcement,” he told the Dewan Rakyat during the Minister’s Question Time session on Tuesday (June 23).
He was responding to a supplementary question from Young Syefura Othman (PH-Bentong) on the government’s plans for VM2026 amid the current geopolitical tensions in the region.
The government had previously announced that VM2026 would be extended until the end of 2027 following a decision by the National Steering Committee for Visit Malaysia 2026.
Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who chairs the committee, said the extension took into account current developments, including the conflict in West Asia, which has affected regional stability and tourism planning.
Tiong said Malaysia recorded 17.5mil tourist arrivals between January and May this year, up 3.4% from 16.9mil arrivals during the same period last year.
