By Rihaab Mowlana
Photo Credit: Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC)

The chatter of a hundred languages rose through the halls of Kuala Lumpur’s World Trade Centre. Somewhere between the aroma of Malaysian Teh Tarik / coffee and the flash of name tags, Global Travel Meet 2025 opened not as a ceremony, but as a reunion. After eighteen years, Malaysia’s flagship tourism gathering returned with a new purpose: to remind the world what connection looks like when it’s done with heart.

Hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) through its agency, the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia), the three-day Global Travel Meet unfolded at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur from 1–3 October 2025, under the theme “Malaysia – Where the World Meets.” More than 600 international buyers, 400 Malaysian sellers, and 100 media representatives filled its halls, but what stood out wasn’t the scale; it was the atmosphere. The conversations were unhurried, the curiosity genuine, and the warmth unmistakable. This wasn’t a crowd chasing deals; it was an industry learning, once again, what it means to meet face to face, to listen, to exchange, to rebuild trust.

A Defining Moment for Malaysia

When Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan addressed the audience, he called it “a defining moment for Malaysia and for the global travel industry.” The words, stated with conviction, landed firmly, less as fanfare than reflection. His point was clear: Global Travel Meet was not just another conference. It was a space for tourism to reset; to move beyond transactions and into transformation.

Pictured: Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan addressing the gathering

The event’s return followed the World Tourism Day celebrations in Melaka, creating back-to-back milestones that positioned Malaysia as both host and convener. The timing also set the stage for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), the national campaign aiming to attract 47 million international visitors.

In his speech, the Deputy Minister outlined a roadmap built on sustainability, digitalisation, and community-driven growth - principles rooted in the National Tourism Policy 2020–2030. He spoke of transforming ideas into action, of partnerships that extend beyond borders, and of tourism as a catalyst for shared prosperity.

Those weren’t hollow phrases. Malaysia’s tourism numbers told a story of steady momentum: 38 million international visitors in 2024, a 31 per cent rise from the year before, already surpassing pre-pandemic levels. In the corridors outside, that optimism was tangible, not boastful, but quietly confident.

Collaboration and Connection

The Meet drew strength from its collective spirit. With support from Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, and Batik Air, along with industry associations such as the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA) and the Malaysian Indian Travel and Tour Association (MITTA), the event reflected Malaysia’s ability to rally its partners around a shared vision. MITTA, working in collaboration with Tourism Malaysia, also played a key role in facilitating the participation of international buyers and media, further underscoring the spirit of partnership that defined the week.

That inclusive energy carried through to the Gala Dinner hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture at the Sunway Resort Hotel, where the country officially unveiled the Tourism Malaysia Calendar of Events 2026. The evening doubled as a showcase of Malaysia’s multicultural character: traditional and contemporary performances flowed seamlessly, with playful demonstrations of teh tarik pouring and roti canai twirling folded into the programme. Later, Malaysian singer Marsha Milan took the stage, her voice drawing loud applause and even calls for an encore. It was more than entertainment - it was Malaysia performing its own diversity.

Among the participants were Sri Lankan representatives, invited as hosted buyers to explore the exhibition floor and attend presentations throughout the three-day event. For them, the Meet was as much about connection as it was about discovery. 

Riza Ahamet, CEO of 2nd Chance Travels, described it as “a meaningful opportunity to reconnect with regional partners and see Malaysia’s evolving offerings up close.” Delegates, he said, visited stalls, engaged with hoteliers and regional tourism boards, and joined familiarisation trips to Genting Highlands and Melaka that revealed Malaysia’s depth, from its efficiency in organisation to the way food, culture, and community intertwine. “It was encouraging to see how Malaysia is expanding its appeal while keeping its hospitality consistent,” he shared, noting that such showcases help Sri Lankan operators understand shifting regional travel trends and strengthen cross-border partnerships.

Pictured: Riza Ahamet at the Global Travel Meet with the event's mascots

Subbiah Maheson, Senior Consultant at Atro Holidays, echoed that perspective. Having attended leading trade fairs across Asia, he said Malaysia’s event stood out for its scale and inclusivity. “The variety of exhibitors - from hotel groups and DMCs to travel-tech companies - showed how well Malaysia integrates every sector of its tourism industry,” he explained. He also highlighted Malaysia’s promotion of Sabah and Sarawak as emerging destinations, a model he believes Sri Lanka can learn from in distributing tourism across its regions rather than concentrating it in a few hotspots.

Pictured: Subbiah Maheson

For Sri Lankan travel professionals, the Meet wasn’t just a networking event; it was a chance to study a neighbour’s success story and imagine how closer collaboration between the two countries could expand routes, exchanges, and shared growth across South and Southeast Asia.
Beyond the official sessions, there was a rhythm to the way people moved - slow, deliberate, open. Delegates leaned in to hear each other over the buzz of the crowd. The clinking of coffee cups and the rustle of brochures filled pauses between introductions. After years of distance, even these small sounds felt like proof of recovery.

Visit Malaysia 2026

By the final afternoon, the atmosphere had shifted from novelty to purpose. The initial excitement had settled into something more focused, a collective recognition that Malaysia’s path forward would depend on keeping this sense of connection alive.

The Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign aims to do exactly that. With sustainability as its compass and authenticity as its anchor, it seeks to balance growth with care, to invite travellers in without losing what makes the experience local.

For Sri Lankan buyers and media, the Meet opened doors to new collaborations and reaffirmed shared cultural ties. Frequent flights already link Colombo and Kuala Lumpur, but events like this hint at a deeper kind of exchange, one built not just on tourism, but on trust and curiosity.

As delegates began to leave, the noise in the hall softened into conversation and goodbyes. There was no grand closing moment, just the quiet assurance that something important had been rebuilt. For Malaysia, the Meet was more than a comeback. It was a reminder of what hospitality truly means: a welcome, extended with both hands.