How Do You Craft a Tourism Campaign That’s Both Globally Appealing and Locally Accepted?
Malaysia’s tourism industry is entering a crucial phase of branding and positioning with its latest campaign—Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026)—set to draw millions of travellers to the country.
At the heart of the campaign is a 40-minute promotional video costing RM1.9 million, designed to showcase Malaysia’s diverse attractions, cultures, and unique experiences to a global audience.
But while the investment signals a serious push to elevate Malaysia’s tourism appeal, it has also sparked discussions on budget allocation, inclusivity, and branding strategy.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing defended the video’s cost and production process, stating that it went through the proper tendering system with approvals from the Finance Ministry.
According to him, this is more than just a single promotional clip—it’s a multi-layered visual campaign that includes five shorter videos focusing on individual states and specific tourist interests.
Crafty Politicians Wading into Tourism Campaigns
For marketers and tourism strategists, this approach aligns with modern destination marketing trends.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all strategy, segmenting content allows for personalised targeting.
Some tourists seek eco-tourism, others focus on heritage and culture, while some prioritise urban and luxury experiences.
By tailoring content to these varied interests, Malaysia’s campaign ensures relevance and engagement across different market segments.
However, the VM2026 video rollout hasn’t been without controversy.
A 41-second teaser released earlier came under fire from Bersatu Youth and PAS Youth, who claimed that the video failed to adequately represent Malaysia’s Muslim-majority identity.
The criticism was centred around the teaser’s prominent inclusion of non-Muslim places of worship, such as churches and temples, while allegedly overlooking Islamic landmarks.
This criticism highlights a delicate balance in tourism branding and self-invented political sensitivities.
Malaysia’s strength lies in its multicultural identity, a key selling point for international travellers.
Yet, local political sensitivities can sometimes challenge the narrative of inclusivity.
For marketing professionals, this presents an ongoing dilemma: How do you craft a campaign that is both globally appealing and locally accepted?
To address these concerns, Tiong assured that the final version of the video was refined under the guidance of top ministry officials, including Secretary-General Roslan Abdul Rahman.
The aim, he explained, was to structure the narrative carefully so that foreign tourists could appreciate Malaysia’s diversity without confusion.
The tourism industry is no stranger to big-budget productions.
Many countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore invest heavily in high-production-value tourism videos, often enlisting top filmmakers and international influencers.
Will VM2026 Deliver?
But the real question is: Will the RM1.9 million investment translate into measurable tourism gains?
For a campaign of this scale to succeed, it must be more than just visually stunning—it needs to resonate with the right audiences. It should:
Evoke emotional engagement – making travellers feel a deep connection to Malaysia before they even set foot in the country.
Be strategically distributed – reaching high-value travelers through digital platforms, travel influencers, and targeted ad placements.
Convert views into arrivals – ensuring that the content leads to tangible interest, bookings, and actual visits.
As Malaysia gears up for Visit Malaysia 2026, the effectiveness of this video campaign will be tested in real-time.
The global travel industry is highly competitive, with neighbouring countries aggressively marketing their own destinations.
Malaysia will need more than just a high-budget film—it will require an integrated marketing push across social media, influencer collaborations, digital ads, and experiential storytelling.
Will this promotional video be a game-changer or just another tourism clip lost in a sea of global campaigns?
