KUALA LUMPUR: As the Star Karnival Cuti-Cuti Malaysia (SKCCM) 2026 moves from Johor Baru to Imago Shopping Mall in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah from Aug 14 to 16, the promotional tour continues to ramp up the excitement for this joint effect.
This Tourism Malaysia partnership with Star Media Group (SMG) is aimed to strengthen the tourism ecosystem and building momentum towards Visit Malaysia (VM) 2026–2027.
Tourism Malaysia director general Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim said SKCCM supports its broader strategy of strengthening domestic tourism as a strong and sustainable foundation for the national tourism industry, particularly as Malaysia enters VM2026–2027.
“This is particularly relevant given the positive performance of domestic tourism,” he said.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), domestic visitors increased by 7.2% to 74.7 million in the first quarter of 2026, compared with 69.7 million during the same period in 2025.
Domestic tourism expenditure also grew by 15.8% to RM34bil from RM29.4bil during the same period last year, indicating the potential for higher domestic tourism yields.
“SKCCM promotes interstate travel, encouraging Malaysians not only to explore their own state, but also to discover destinations across Malaysia,” said Mohd Amirul.
“Malaysians in Sabah are encouraged to explore destinations within the state and other states as well, while visitors from other parts of the country are encouraged to discover Sabah.”
This creates greater movement of domestic travellers across destinations and helps distribute tourism spending more widely, supporting local tourism operators, accommodation providers, attractions, transport operators and small businesses.
The initiative complements VM2026–2027 by building a strong domestic tourism base while Malaysia prepares to welcome more international visitors.
Mohd Amirul added that SMG’s strength in media, content and consumer engagement complements Tourism Malaysia’s role in destination promotion and industry development.
“Through this partnership, SKCCM is able to bring tourism products, destinations and travel offers directly to consumers, while giving industry players greater visibility,” he said.
The collaboration also demonstrates how public-private partnerships can combine government resources, industry expertise and media reach to create greater impact.
Mohd Amirul said the success of VM2026–2027 should serve as a foundation for long-term tourism growth rather than being a one-off campaign. He added that there was scope to develop more integrated promotional models combining Tourism Malaysia’s destination marketing capabilities with the commercial reach and expertise of private-sector partners.
“We need to continue developing tourism products that respond to changing traveller preferences and encourage visitors to stay longer, travel further and spend more across different destinations.”
Tourism Malaysia domestic and events division senior director Mohd Roslan Abdullah said SKCCM provides industry players with a shared promotional platform that allows them to reach large numbers of consumers without bearing the full cost of organising individual marketing activities.
“The presence of multiple tourism stakeholders in one location also makes it easier for consumers to compare, plan and make travel decisions on the spot,” he said.
He added that operators could use the opportunity to secure immediate sales, generate new leads and build longer-term customer relationships.
Under the “Destinasi Indah, Harga Rahmah” initiative, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac), through Tourism Malaysia, together with Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG), AirAsia and Batik Air, continues to strengthen air connectivity to Borneo to facilitate domestic travel.
The inclusion of attractive
travel promotions and packages further supports the conversion of consumer interest into actual bookings. Sales performance is one of the key indicators, particularly in terms of the value of tourism packages, products and services purchased by visitors during each roadshow.
“The first two (SKCCM) locations in Kuantan and Johor generated RM1.27mil in sales, demonstrating strong consumer interest and providing positive momentum towards achieving the overall SKCCM 2026 target,” he added.
Visitors to the recent Sabah roadshow at Imago Shopping Mall met with many tourism and lifestyle businesses, such as travel agencies, accommodation providers, attractions and experience operators from across Malaysia.
They had a firsthand chance to explore holiday packages, discover new destinations, experience local flavours and engage with tourism industry players under one roof.
Those who book directly with travel and accommodation exhibitors can enjoy event-only savings on holiday packages, accommodation and attractions, with many exhibitors offering promotions unavailable elsewhere.
After Kota Kinabalu, SKCCM will travel to Sunway Carnival Mall in Penang from Sept 24 to 27, followed by Sunway Pyramid in Petaling Jaya from Oct 23 to 25 and Plaza Merdeka Mall in Kuching from Oct 30 to Nov 1.
