Tourism Malaysia on February 5 held a seminar and networking session at the Holiday Inn Dhaka City Centre, uniting key stakeholders from Bangladesh’s tourism industry.

The event aimed to strengthen tourism ties between Malaysia and Bangladesh while showcasing Malaysia as a premier destination for travel, education, medical tourism, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), according to a press release.

The evening began with an opening speech by Muadz Samat, Senior Assistant Director of Tourism Malaysia.

He highlighted Malaysia’s focus for the Dhaka Travel Mart 2025, emphasizing family-friendly attractions, education, and medical tourism.

He also stressed the strong connectivity between the two countries, with 42 weekly flights operated by airlines including Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air, AirAsia, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, and US-Bangla Airlines.

During the Dhaka Travel Mart, Malaysia will be represented by 10 sellers from airlines, tour agents, and both government and private agencies.

Muadz shared that Malaysia welcomed 143,919 Bangladeshi tourists in 2024, marking an 8 per cent increase from the previous year.

He outlined the goal of achieving 300,000 arrivals from Bangladesh in 2025 and introduced the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, which aims to attract 35.6 million international tourists and generate RM147.1 billion in tourism receipts, focusing on high-yield and sustainable tourism.

The High Commissioner of Malaysia to Bangladesh, Mohd Shuhada Othman, emphasised Malaysia’s diverse attractions, favourable exchange rates, and its status as a leading destination for medical and educational tourism.

He mentioned the abundant opportunities for collaboration between Malaysia and Bangladesh, particularly in the areas of tourism, trade, and investment.

Tourism Malaysia is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture Malaysia.

Its mission is to market Malaysia as a preferred destination for leisure, business, and medical tourism, highlighting the country’s cultural diversity, world-class facilities, and exceptional hospitality.