The Global Travel Meet 2025 in Kuala Lumpur brought together over 1,000 international tourism stakeholders, marking Malaysia’s return as a premier hub for global travel collaboration
Malaysia hosted the Global Travel Meet 2025 on 1 October in Kuala Lumpur, bringing together leaders, innovators, and stakeholders from the international travel and tourism industry. The event was inaugurated by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia, with representatives from tourism associations, global partners, and sponsors in attendance.
The three-day gathering served as a platform for business-to-business sessions, networking opportunities, and discussions on tourism strategies. More than 600 buyers, 400 sellers, and 100 international media representatives participated, underlining the scale of the event. The last Global Travel Meet organised by Tourism Malaysia had taken place in 2007, making this year’s edition a significant revival after nearly two decades.
During the opening address, officials highlighted Malaysia’s recent tourism achievements. From January to July 2025, the country recorded 24.5 million international arrivals, with major visitor markets including Singapore, Indonesia, China, Thailand, Brunei, India, the Philippines, South Korea, Australia, and Chinese Taipei. The warm hospitality of Malaysians, diverse cuisine, and natural attractions were cited as key draws.
Attention also turned towards future goals, with the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mr. Datuk Khairul Firdaus bin Akbar Khan, confirming an ambitious target of 47 million visitors for Visit Malaysia Year 2026. Officials emphasised ongoing efforts to strengthen regional ties, including strategies to attract more visitors from Indonesia through expanded flight connectivity to secondary and tertiary cities. Other source markets such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were also discussed, with Malaysia expressing commitment to diversifying inbound tourism opportunities.
The event closed with a message of collaboration and sustainability, calling on international partners to work towards a more innovative and interconnected global tourism community. Organisers credited the strong support of partners such as MICA, MITA, and BUMITRA in making the event a success.
Source: IN Diplomacy Reporters
