MELAKA, July 5 (Bernama) -- Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that hosting the upcoming World Tourism Day 2025 in Malaysia is not just timely, but visionary, offering the country a global platform to showcase what truly sets it apart.
He was referring to World Tourism Day 2025 and World Tourism Conference 2025, both scheduled to be held in Melaka in September.
“Let World Tourism Day in Melaka be the moment we inspire the world, showing that Malaysia is ready to lead, ready to welcome, and ready to shape the future of values-driven, meaningful travel,” he said, adding that last year alone, Melaka welcomed 15 million visitors, generating RM12.68 billion in tourism revenue - a significant milestone under the Visit Melaka Year 2024 campaign.
He said this in his speech at the pre-launch of World Tourism Day 2025, World Tourism Conference 2025, and the 17th Anniversary of Melaka’s recognition as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage City, in Banda Hilir, here, tonight.
The text of his speech was read out by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
Ahmad Zahid also said that Visit Malaysia 2026 will set a national direction, where tourism is no longer a backdrop, but a bold driver of sustainability, inclusivity and future readiness.
To succeed, he stressed that Malaysia must move strategically and collaboratively, strengthening public-private partnerships, fostering a more inclusive and resilient tourism recovery, and positioning the country as a welcoming, innovative, and future-ready hub.
“During my recent visit to London, I engaged directly with trade leaders, media and airline partners, focused on building momentum towards Visit Malaysia 2026.
“Together, we launched a movement to grow United Kingdom (UK) arrivals from 390,000 to 500,000. Last year alone, those travellers contributed over RM2.5 billion, and with the right push, I’m confident we can go beyond RM3.3 billion,” he said, adding that Malaysia is ranked as the world’s fifth most Muslim-friendly destination, and has consistently remained among the top countries in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator for the past ten years.
-- BERNAMA
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