Places Of Worship Hold Potential As Cultural Tourism Destinations - Tiong

SEREMBAN, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- The development of places of worship should be prioritised to make them key tourist attractions, supporting efforts to boost cultural tourism and highlight Malaysia’s multicultural harmony to the world, said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

He stated that, as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, the ministry aims to promote all faiths and cultures to international tourists, showcasing Malaysia’s unity, particularly in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign, rather than merely highlighting popular attractions.

“We want to demonstrate to the world how Malaysia can live in harmony despite its diverse cultures and religions. Every place of worship and community has its unique history and significant values that can be showcased as a tourist attraction,” he said after visiting Zhi Yuan Tang Temple here. The visit was also attended by Negeri Sembilan Cultural and Arts Tourism Committee chairman Nicole Tan.

Tiong said that promoting cultural tourism is also in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s vision to safeguard the nation’s heritage and traditions.

According to him, the initiative is expected to boost community-based tourism, generate economic benefits for local areas, and foster mutual respect among people of diverse backgrounds.

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, Tiong said his visit also focused on discussions to further develop and strengthen the tourism, arts, and culture sector in Negeri Sembilan, which is renowned for its Adat Perpatih.

“These include maintaining tourism facilities such as the Army Museum and the Ornamental Fish Centre in Port Dickson, to ensure their sustainability and generate a new revenue stream for the state’s tourism sector.

“International promotion will focus on tapping high-potential markets such as Europe, the Middle East, India, and China to attract high-yield tourists,” he said, adding that the discussions also highlighted major events and festivals in the state, such as the NS Fest, Perpatih Fest, and the traditional Bola Ngoca game, which could further energise the state’s tourism scene.

Meanwhile, Nicole said the state will be working closely with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) to further develop its tourism potential, especially in preparation for Visit Negeri Sembilan Year 2026.

“The state government aims for 60 per cent of tourism to focus on beaches, 30 per cent on ecotourism and 10 per cent on heritage, adding value to tourism packages by showcasing Negeri Sembilan’s nine unique identities (customs, architecture, traditional food, clothing, flowers, music, dance, songs and traditional games),” she said.

She said the state has more than 200 attractions with potential for promotion, adding that a tourism calendar for Visit Negeri Sembilan Year 2026 will be developed in collaboration with MOTAC.

In another development, Tiong dismissed suggestions by several NGOs to rename Port Dickson Beach, saying it was unnecessary as the name is already widely recognised, both locally and internationally.

-- BERNAMA