Tourism Malaysia Chennai, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Malaysia in Chennai, successfully hosted the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY 2026) Industry Briefing & Networking Dinner at The Leela Palace, Chennai, bringing together key stakeholders from the travel and tourism industry.
The event served as an important platform to engage with airline partners, travel associations, travel agents, and leading tourism stakeholders from Malaysia, reinforcing Malaysia’s commitment to the Indian market ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
The evening was graced by the Consul General of Malaysia in Chennai Mr. K Saravana Kumar, alongside the Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai (South India & Sri Lanka) Mr. Hishamuddin Mustafa, highlighting the strong bilateral ties between Malaysia and India, particularly in the tourism sector.
In his address, the Consul General emphasised the growing importance of the Indian market and the need for continued collaboration to achieve the ambitious target under VMY 2026. The Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai highlighted strong air connectivity, ongoing growth momentum, and the importance of introducing new and innovative tourism products to Indian travellers.
The product update session featured participation from esteemed Malaysian sellers, showcasing diverse offerings across leisure, MICE, and niche segments. Participating organisations included:
• Key Term Holidays – representing Sabah Tourism Board
• Pulse Group
• Resorts World Genting
• Victory Group – specialising in wedding segments
• LEGOLAND Malaysia
• Lotus Desaru
• Wyndham Ion Majestic, Genting Highlands
• Frangipani Langkawi Resort
• Gouden Riche Events – specialising in MICE and weddings
These partners presented a wide range of experiences, encouraging Indian travel agents to develop fresh and innovative packages, including emerging destinations such as Sabah and Sarawak, which offer significant growth potential in the Indian market.
A key highlight of the evening was the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing between Tourism Malaysia Chennai and PickYourTrail, aimed at driving targeted promotions and increasing tourist arrivals from India in conjunction with VMY 2026. The MoU was signed by the Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai and PickYourTrail, and witnessed by the Consul General of Malaysia, symbolising strengthened industry collaboration.
Adding excitement to the evening, a lucky draw session was conducted for participating travel partners, with several attendees walking away as happy winners, further enhancing engagement and camaraderie among stakeholders.
The event also saw the participation and support of key airline partners and travel associations, whose continued collaboration plays a crucial role in enhancing connectivity and promoting Malaysia as a preferred destination.
Tourism Malaysia Chennai reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Indian travel partners through strategic collaborations, product development, and industry engagement initiatives. With strong partnerships, enhanced connectivity, and diverse offerings, Malaysia is well-positioned to achieve its targets for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.