Explorers World Ventures Sdn Bhd, a Malaysia-based tourism and events company focused on promoting Asia’s diverse culture and lifestyle through creative experiences, officially announced the Asian Youth Festival 2026 during its grand launch ceremony and press conference held this morning at Saloma Kuala Lumpur. The highly anticipated event was officiated by the Honourable Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC), YB Tuan Chiew Choon Man. Also present were Visit Malaysia Year 2026 Head of Secretariat Tuan Mohd Akbal Setia, representatives from MOTAC and Tourism Malaysia, distinguished guests, celebrity attendees, strategic partners, collaborators, and members of the media.
In his keynote address, YB Tuan Chiew Choon Man expressed pride in the private sector’s involvement in supporting Visit Malaysia Year 2026 through an elaborate and engaging festival initiative. He shared his confidence that the Asian Youth Festival, with its wide-ranging and dynamic youth-focused programmes, would significantly contribute to boosting the tourism sector.
Officially supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, the Asian Youth Festival will take place from 10 to 12 July 2026 at the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) in Sungai Besi. Designed as a large-scale, multi-vertical event, the festival aims to unite Asian youth under one vibrant platform that celebrates creativity, inclusivity, and regional friendship, while inspiring the next generation to lead with passion, innovation, and cultural pride.
The festival also seeks to connect young people from diverse Asian nations through shared experiences, showcasing the best of Asian culture from food and fashion to entertainment and digital innovation. In doing so, it supports Visit Malaysia Year 2026 by positioning Malaysia as a central cultural hub of Asia and strengthening youth tourism across the region.
The welcome address at the launch was delivered by festival co-founders Chris Avinash and Marina Abdullah. Chris described the Asian Youth Festival 2026 as more than just an event, calling it a platform where creativity, innovation, and culture converge. He added that the festival is designed by youth for youth, offering an immersive experience into the heartbeat of Asia’s cultural rhythm, ideas, and energy. Marina further shared that from day to night, the three-day festival will transform the venue into a living hub of creativity, culture, and collaboration, featuring live stages, pop-up booths, international guests, tournaments, food showcases, and a shared spirit that reflects what it means to be young in Asia today.
Festival-goers can expect to connect with thousands of young creators, innovators, performers, and adventurers from across the continent at one of the most vibrant youth gatherings of the year. Spanning an area of over 1.2 million square feet, the festival will feature seven major zones dedicated to celebrating youth culture. These include live music concerts showcasing rising stars and headline acts across genres such as pop, rock, traditional fusion, hip-hop, EDM, indie, and K-pop; an e-sports arena featuring competitive Mobile Legends tournaments; an ACG and TCG zone with cosplay competitions, collector areas, card tournaments, and fan meet-ups; a fashion street highlighting streetwear brands, young and student designers, and creative style showcases; an Asian Food Village offering authentic and fusion flavours across ten themed food streets; a youth engagement zone with interactive talks, workshops, and future-focused sessions on leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship; as well as an Asian Pickleball Challenge featuring friendly competition and attractive prizes.
The Asian Youth Festival is presented by Explorers World Ventures as the festival owner and strategic tourism platform, together with Memories Entertainment as the official festival partner and production collaborator. Through their combined expertise and commitment, both organisations aim to establish the Asian Youth Festival as a signature annual event not only for young people, but also for those who are young at heart.
Explorers World Ventures brings a strong tourism ecosystem vision supported by extensive regional B2B networks, destination partnerships, inbound tourism development strategies, and a long-term commitment to positioning Malaysia as a global tourism hub through innovation, digital platforms, and destination packaging. Memories Entertainment contributes extensive experience in large-scale event production, entertainment programming, talent management, creative direction, and live event execution, ensuring the festival meets international standards of quality, professionalism, and experiential design.
Further details about the Asian Youth Festival 2026 will be announced in the coming months. More information can be found at www.asianyouthfestival.com, as well as on the festival’s official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok platforms.
