Tourism Malaysia Sales Mission strengthens travel partnerships with PH stakeholders
Tourism Malaysia Sales Mission strengthens travel partnerships with PH stakeholders
by The Manila Times
Aug 22, 2026 6:59 pm
TOURISM Malaysia organized the Sales Mission to the Philippines 2026, taking place from Aug. 16 to 23, 2026, featuring a Destination Seminar and Travel Mart across three major cities in the Philippines, namely Manila, Davao and Cebu, as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen tourism cooperation, highlight Malaysia’s diverse tourism offerings and travel destinations, and increase visitor arrivals from the Filipino market.
The multi-city sales mission connects 21 Malaysian tourism industry stakeholders, comprising state tourism organizations, travel agents, tour operators, airlines, online travel agencies, and hotel and accommodation providers, with Filipino tourism partners and 340 buyers through business-to-business (B2B) meetings, networking sessions and destination presentations.
Malaysian delegates also engage directly with Filipino travel trade representatives through pre-arranged business-matching sessions.
The program provides an effective platform for Malaysian tourism suppliers to showcase their latest travel packages and tourism offerings, including vibrant cities, pristine islands, world-class shopping experiences, family-friendly attractions, rich culture, diverse culinary experiences and internationally recognized Muslim-friendly tourism facilities and travel experiences.
This helps foster new business collaborations and reinforce existing partnerships with Filipino travel trade partners.
“The Philippines continues to be a promising source market for Malaysia, supported by strong air connectivity, close cultural ties, and increasing demand for regional travel. Through this sales mission, Tourism Malaysia remains committed to strengthening our partnership with the Filipino travel industry while positioning Malaysia as the preferred destination for leisure, business events, shopping, nature, culture, and Muslim-friendly tourism in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026-2027,” Tourism Malaysia Deputy Director General (Promotions II) Lee Thai Hung said.
The Philippines remains an important market for Malaysia within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or Asean region.
As of June 2026, Malaysia recorded a total of 299,633 visitor arrivals from the Philippines, marking a 1.13 per cent increase from 296,298 visitor arrivals during the corresponding period in 2025.
Air connectivity between Malaysia and the Philippines remains robust, with approximately 59 weekly flights offering more than 11,615 seats.
These flights connect Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu and other Malaysian destinations with Filipino cities, including Manila and Cebu.
Through stronger industry partnerships and sustained promotional efforts, Tourism Malaysia remains confident of achieving the objectives of Visit Malaysia 2026-2027 while further strengthening tourism cooperation between the two countries.
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia or Motac.
It focuses on promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination and has, since its establishment, played a significant role in strengthening the country’s presence and competitiveness in the global tourism landscape.
Visit Malaysia 2026 or VM2026-2027, with the extended campaign to 2027, underscores Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable tourism development, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or UNSDGs.
The campaign aims to showcase the nation’s diverse natural attractions, rich cultural heritage, and vibrant tourism offerings, while driving inclusive growth and long-term value for local communities and industry stakeholders.
Visitwww.tourism.gov.my and Tourism Malaysia on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok for more information.
Source: www.manilatimes.net
