VMY2026: Tourism Malaysia backs 'Worth The Wait' to boost country's global appeal

New Straits Times

04-07-2025

VMY2026: Tourism Malaysia backs 'Worth The Wait' to boost country's global appeal
Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Malaysia is stepping up efforts to promote the country by leveraging the global reach of international films, in preparation for Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026.
The latest initiative is through the film 'Worth The Wait', a collaborative project between the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) and King Street Pictures, an international production company.
Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy said film is a powerful medium for showcasing Malaysia's beauty to global audiences, and the ministry fully supports foreign production companies that choose the country as a filming location.
"One of our key objectives is to promote Malaysia through cinema. We strongly encourage more international film companies to select Malaysia as their filming destination," he said at the premiere of Worth The Wait today.
He said Tourism Malaysia is actively involved in promotional efforts, positioning Malaysia as a filming destination and leveraging the film's cast and producers as ambassadors for the VMY2026 campaign on social media platforms.
Manoharan said the film's cast, predominantly of Asian descent, with millions of followers on digital platforms, can significantly boost Malaysia's appeal among international travellers.
In addition to the collaboration with Worth The Wait producers, he said the ministry and Finas are also actively engaging with more international production companies.
He noted that film-based promotion offers broad and rapid reach, as movies today are distributed not only in cinemas but also via online streaming platforms.
He said this collaboration presents a win-win opportunity for the ministry, government agencies and international filmmakers in promoting and showcasing Malaysia's unique attractions.
During the screening, producer Rachel Tan shared that the film is loosely inspired by her personal love story, which began as a long-distance relationship between Malaysia and the United States.
"Worth The Wait is not just entertainment, but also a reflection of love, faith and hope. Dan Mark (producer) and I wanted to create something that celebrates our Asian identity while speaking to audiences around the world.
"The response so far has been incredibly encouraging," said the former Miss Malaysia.
Partially filmed at various locations across Malaysia, Worth The Wait reflects ongoing efforts to promote Asian representation in North America while also showcasing Malaysia's diverse natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage and renowned hospitality, qualities that continue to position the country as a world-class travel destination.
Produced by King Street Pictures, the film is scheduled for theatrical release in Malaysia this August, with distribution by Astro Shaw.
Directed by Tom Shu-Yu Lin, the film features a star-studded cast including Ross Butler, Lana Condor, Andrew Koji, Sung Kang, Elodie Yung and Golden Horse Award-winning actress Karena Lam, acclaimed across Hong Kong and Taiwan, alongside Malaysia's own Kheng Hua Tan.
The film marks a significant milestone for Malaysian cinema, standing as one of the few romantic dramas to achieve both international theatrical and streaming success.
It has already gained popularity as a streaming original in Hollywood, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, and is set to premiere in cinemas across Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia.
– Bernama