The Consulate General of Malaysia, together with Tourism Malaysia Istanbul, organised the Malaysia Destination Seminar in conjunction with the upcoming Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign at the Fairmont Quasar Istanbul Hotel, Türkiye. The programme served as a valuable platform for Tourism Malaysia to explore partnerships with Turkish industry players and promote Malaysia as a preferred travel destination for the market.
The seminar gathered key representatives from the travel and tourism industry, including outbound tour operators, travel agents, airlines, media members, influencers and the Malaysian diaspora. It created an engaging setting for participants to exchange insights, discuss current travel trends and explore new opportunities to expand tourism cooperation between Malaysia and Türkiye.
The event was officiated by His Excellency Ahmad Amiri Abu Bakar, Consul General of Malaysia in Istanbul. In his remarks, he acknowledged the strong turnout and reaffirmed Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening people-to-people and industry-level connections. He also highlighted the shared values and aspirations that continue to deepen the friendship and tourism collaboration between both nations.
Malaysia and Türkiye enjoy longstanding cultural, historical and economic ties. With improving flight connectivity and a rising interest in both leisure and business travel, VM2026 aims to further enhance these connections by offering tailored travel experiences that appeal to Turkish travellers.
His Excellency emphasised the importance of the Turkish market, stating that Türkiye remains a vital contributor to Malaysia’s tourism growth. He encouraged Turkish travellers to explore Malaysia’s vibrant cities, lush rainforests, beautiful beaches and diverse cultural heritage as the country prepares to celebrate Visit Malaysia 2026.
Tourism Malaysia invited outbound tourism players, airlines and local media in Türkiye to collaborate on promoting Malaysia’s travel packages through a targeted campaign supported by a cost-sharing partnership. The initiative will leverage both digital and traditional advertising platforms. Plans also include engaging prominent Turkish influencers and content creators to experience Malaysia and highlight the nation’s attractions to a wider audience.
From January to August 2025, Malaysia recorded 25,698 tourist arrivals from Türkiye, marking an increase of 31.8% compared to the same period the previous year. This represents the highest number of Turkish visitors recorded in the past 15 years. Tourism Malaysia anticipates that arrivals from Türkiye will reach 30,000 by the end of the year.
In preparation for Visit Malaysia 2026, Tourism Malaysia aims to further enhance the country’s global tourism presence, with a target of 47 million international visitor arrivals. This effort will be supported through continuous innovation and strengthened collaboration with global and regional partners.
