Target is to reach 47mn international visitor arrivals next year
Tourism Malaysia is hosting the Global Travel Meet 2025, positioning the three-day international tourism business event as a key platform to strengthen Malaysia’s standing as a preferred global destination.
Being held from October 1–3 at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, the meet has drawn 600 international buyers, 100 media representatives, and 400 Malaysian sellers representing hotels, travel agents, airlines, and diverse tourism products.
The event is designed around B2B sessions, business matching activities, networking events, and familiarisation trips, offering delegates an immersive showcase of Malaysia’s cultural, eco-tourism, gastronomic, and adventure travel offerings.
YB Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia, highlighted the strategic significance of the meet, describing it as a “vital catalyst in igniting renewed energy and driving strong momentum” towards Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), which targets 47 million international visitor arrivals.
The meet is backed by Malaysian carriers Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, and Batik Air, and organised in collaboration with industry associations including the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA) and the Malaysian Indian Tour & Travel Association (MITTA).
Malaysia’s tourism sector continues to display robust growth.
The country welcomed 38 million international visitors in 2024, up 31.1% from 2023 and 8.3% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels. From January to July 2025, arrivals stood at 24.5 million, reflecting a 16.8% year-on-year increase. The top source markets remain Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Brunei, India, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, and Chinese Taipei.
The Global Travel Meet 2025 also reinforces Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable tourism in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), while supporting regional initiatives such as the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Visiting Year 2023–2025.
