Latest news with #VMY2026
New Straits Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Govt urged to address unlicensed lodging or risk Visit Malaysia Year 2026's integrity
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has been urged to address the issue of unregulated short-term rental accommodations (STRA) and the unlicensed sale of lodging options through online travel agencies (OTAs) and social media platforms. Malaysian Budget and Business Hotel Association president Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel warned that failure to act immediately could jeopardise the integrity, sustainability and overall success of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY 2026). "The presence of unlicensed and unregulated STRA units, including apartments, condominiums and private residences converted into transient lodging, has created a parallel and illegal accommodation economy. "These entities operate outside any legal framework, do not pay licensing fees or taxes, are not subject to safety inspections, and undermine legitimate hoteliers and tourism players who have invested significantly in complying with national and local laws and regulations," he said in a statement yesterday. Ganesh said five key issues stem from the lack of regulatory oversight, including safety risks to tourists due to non-compliance with fire safety and health standards, as well as disturbances to residential communities caused by unchecked transient occupancy. Other concerns include loss of tax revenue for local councils and the federal government, distorted market pricing, disadvantageous law-abiding hotel operators and weak consumer protection, leaving tourists vulnerable to scams and unsafe premises. He said despite multiple complaints and discussions, unlicensed accommodations continue to be openly promoted and transacted online, including via major OTAs, classified sites and increasingly on social media platforms. Ganesh said MyBHA is calling for the setting-up of a high-level inter-ministerial task force led by the Housing and Local Government Ministry and Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to introduce and enforce immediate regulations for all short-term rental accommodations. "This includes empowering local authorities to consistently and firmly enforce regulations and laws without negatively impacting licensed and registered hotel businesses and establishing minimum safety and operating standards for all accommodation providers," he said. Ganesh also wants the Digital Ministry and Communications Ministry to hold digital platforms and OTAs accountable for listings published on their portals, and enforce legal responsibilities for verifying licensing status before allowing listings. He also proposed the introduction of digital governance standards and penalties for platforms that facilitate illegal accommodation listings, including measures to prevent social media from becoming black markets for unlicensed stays, such as blacklisting, banning, and removing non-compliant (non-hotel) properties from digital platforms.
Barnama
04-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Tourism Malaysia Intensifies Industry Collaboration For VMY2026 Success
GENERAL ALOR SETAR, May 4 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia today convened a high-level engagement session with industry stakeholders in Langkawi, marking a significant step in operational preparations for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026). Tourism Malaysia Deputy Director General (Planning) Shahrin Mokhtar said the session involving tourism industry players focused on efforts to intensify promotional strategy implementation, enhance tourism products and strengthen public-private sector cooperation to support VMY2026 goals. 'The selection of 'Malaysia: Sustainable and Culturally Rich Destination' as VMY2026's theme reflects the nation's aspiration to position Malaysia as an exclusive destination that balances tourism development with the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. 'Langkawi is a world-class tourism destination renowned for its natural beauty, stunning beaches and unique flora and fauna diversity. Besides being recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark, Langkawi is also known as a premier tourism destination that emphasises sustainability values,' he said in a statement today. The session, officiated by Kedah State Economic Planning Division director Junaidi Abdul Rani@Abdul Ghani, was also attended by Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) chief executive Officer Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid, along with representatives from government agencies, tourism associations, airlines, hotel operators, tourism product providers and local travel agents. Shahrin said the Kedah government's continuous commitment to strengthening green tourism initiatives continues to position Langkawi as one of the main destinations in energising VMY2026. 'Among the efforts implemented are environmental area conservation, rebranding of existing tourism products and encouragement of sustainability-based activities to enrich tourist experiences on the island. 'With continuous support from various parties, Langkawi is believed to remain a strategic asset in making VMY2026 a success, establishing Malaysia as a premier sustainable and resilient tourism destination,' he said. -- BERNAMA
New Straits Times
04-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Tourism Malaysia steps up VMY2026 preparations with Langkawi dialogue
Tourism Malaysia held a high-level engagement session with industry stakeholders in Langkawi today, marking a significant step in operational preparations for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026). Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general (Planning) Shahrin Mokhtar said the session, which involved tourism industry players, focused on intensifying promotional strategies, enhancing tourism products and strengthening public–private sector cooperation to support the goals of VMY2026. "The selection of 'Malaysia: Sustainable and Culturally Rich Destination' as the theme for VMY2026 reflects the nation's aspiration to position Malaysia as an exclusive destination that balances tourism development with the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. "Langkawi is a world-class tourism destination renowned for its natural beauty, stunning beaches and diverse flora and fauna. In addition to being recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark, Langkawi is known as a premier destination that upholds sustainability values," he said in a statement today. The session was officiated by Kedah State Economic Planning Division director Junaidi Abdul Rani@Abdul Ghani and attended by Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) chief executive officer Datuk Haslina Abdul Hamid, along with representatives from government agencies, tourism associations, airlines, hotel operators, tourism product providers and local travel agents. Shahrin said the Kedah government's continued commitment to green tourism initiatives has helped position Langkawi as one of the key destinations in energising VMY2026. "Among the initiatives undertaken are environmental conservation, the rebranding of existing tourism products and the promotion of sustainability-based activities to enrich the tourist experience on the island. "With continued support from various stakeholders, Langkawi is expected to remain a strategic asset in making VMY2026 a success and in positioning Malaysia as a premier sustainable and resilient tourism destination," he said.
New Straits Times
01-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Tourism Malaysia, Emirates ink MOU to boost global arrivals
KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Malaysia has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates to boost global tourist arrivals and elevate Malaysia's international brand recognition, says Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. He said he witnessed the signing by Tourism Malaysia Director-General Datuk Manoharan Periasamy and Emirates Senior Vice President (Commercial Operations - East) Orhan Abbas during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, recently. "Through this MoU, both parties will collaborate on joint marketing and promotional initiatives to position Malaysia as a top travel destination, highlighting its natural landscapes, cultural heritage and diverse cuisine. "Emirates also plans to organise familiarisation trips to Malaysia for media partners and professional travellers from key markets," he said in a statement uploaded on his Facebook page today. Tiong said that leveraging Emirates' extensive global network would strengthen Malaysia's appeal as a preferred destination, accelerating momentum for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026) and its "Malaysia Truly Asia" experience. He also described the MoU as timely for tapping into the Arab market. "Malaysia welcomed approximately 38 million tourists last year. "This year, under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry is targeting 45 million tourist arrivals, and current tourism data indicates we are on track to achieve this goal," he said. Malaysia, he said, was pleased to invite the global community to embark on a unique journey and experience the rich blend of cultural diversity and natural beauty the country had to offer. – Bernama
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Tourism Malaysia, Emirates ink MoU to boost global arrivals
KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Malaysia has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates to boost global tourist arrivals and elevate Malaysia's international brand recognition, says Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing. He said he witnessed the signing by Tourism Malaysia Director-General Datuk Manoharan Periasamy and Emirates Senior Vice President (Commercial Operations - East) Orhan Abbas during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, recently. 'Through this MoU, both parties will collaborate on joint marketing and promotional initiatives to position Malaysia as a top travel destination, highlighting its natural landscapes, cultural heritage and diverse cuisine. 'Emirates also plans to organise familiarisation trips to Malaysia for media partners and professional travellers from key markets,' he said in a statement uploaded on his Facebook page today. Tiong said that leveraging Emirates' extensive global network would strengthen Malaysia's appeal as a preferred destination, accelerating momentum for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026) and its 'Malaysia Truly Asia' experience. He also described the MoU as timely for tapping into the Arab market. 'Malaysia welcomed approximately 38 million tourists last year. This year, under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) is targeting 45 million tourist arrivals, and current tourism data indicates we are on track to achieve this goal,' he said. Malaysia, he added, was pleased to invite the global community to embark on a unique journey and experience the rich blend of cultural diversity and natural beauty the country had to offer.
