The Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, The Hon. Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, has concluded a successful working visit to the United Kingdom, where he officially launched the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign and engaged with key stakeholders across the UK travel and tourism industry. Zakri Jaafar, High Commissioner of Malaysia to the United Kingdom & Northern Ireland, was also in attendance, underlining Malaysia’s commitment to promoting strong tourism ties with the UK.
This strategic mission reinforced Malaysia’s commitment to revitalising inbound tourism from the UK and positioning the country as a top long-haul destination for British travellers.
During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister announced an ambitious target of attracting 500,000 UK visitors in 2026 — a significant increase from the 345,000 UK arrivals recorded in 2024. This reflects Malaysia’s strong confidence in the UK as a priority market. On a broader scale, the country is aiming for 45 million international arrivals in 2025, with projected tourism receipts of RM270 billion.
The centrepiece of the visit was a high-profile media event marking the official unveiling of Visit Malaysia 2026 – a landmark campaign that will position Malaysia as a premier destination for international travellers, and a milestone in the destination’s tourism journey. The Deputy Prime Minister’s programme also featured high-level engagements with travel trade leaders, media, and airline partners, focused on exploring new avenues for collaboration and growth – with strategies to capitalise on Visit Malaysia 2026 firmly at the forefront.
The Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign is built on five strategic pillars: sustainable tourism, cultural and heritage experiences, adventure and nature-based travel, digital innovation, and enhanced global connectivity. These areas align with evolving traveller preferences for authentic, meaningful, and environmentally conscious experiences. Through this approach, Visit Malaysia 2026 seeks to deliver compelling travel offerings while promoting industry resilience and community development.
The visit has further strengthened ties between the Malaysian and UK tourism sectors, laying a strong foundation for deeper collaboration in the build-up to Visit Malaysia 2026 and beyond. Enhanced air connectivity – bolstered by British Airways’ recently resumed daily direct flights to Kuala Lumpur alongside Malaysia Airlines’ ongoing services – positions Malaysia well to achieve its ambitious visitor targets from the UK market.
Malaysia offers a distinctive and diverse travel experience shaped by its vibrant cities, rich cultural heritage, lush natural environments, and world-class hospitality. From Kuala Lumpur’s skyline to ancient rainforests and idyllic islands, the country presents a wealth of experiences within easy reach. A robust tourism infrastructure, English-speaking environment, and a warm, multilingual culture make Malaysia an especially attractive destination for UK travellers.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s engagements in the UK highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships in shaping a sustainable, inclusive tourism recovery and cementing Malaysia’s status as a welcoming, innovative, and future-ready destination in the lead-up to Visit Malaysia 2026.
For more information on Tourism Malaysia, please visit: https://www.tourism.gov.my
For more information on travelling to Malaysia, please visit: https://www.malaysia.travel