PM setuju Melaka tuan rumah pelancaran TMM 2026

 

logo: Tourism Malaysia

AYER KEROH: Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memberi 'lampu hijau' kepada Kerajaan Melaka untuk menjadi tuan rumah acara pelancaran Tahun Melawat Malaysia (TMM) 2026. 

Katanya, ia susulan kejayaan negeri pimpinan Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh melaksanakan pelbagai acara berprestij pada peringkat negeri dan kebangsaan sehingga menjadi buah mulut di seluruh negara. 

"Dalam ucapan beliau (Ab Rauf) sebanyak tiga kali menyebut mengenai hasrat menjadi tuan rumah, ditambah pula saya duduk bersebelahan dengan (Datuk Seri) Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi selaku Presiden UMNO yang agak mendesak dan menyokong hasrat itu. 

"Melihat kepada persiapannya, sektor pelancongan ini bukan saja melihat kepada kehadiran orang asing, tetapi manfaatnya kepada rakyat tempatan. Sebab itu persiapan kita dari segi budaya, makanan dan tempat tinggal (penginapan) itu kalau diatur dengan baik akan memberi manfaat kepada negara serta rakyat.

"Jadi, saya cenderung untuk bersetuju supaya pelancaran TMM ini dibuat di Melaka tanpa kos tambahan yang banyak," katanya berucap pada Sambutan Aidilfitri MADANI peringkat kebangsaan di Pusat Dagangan Antarabangsa Melaka (MITC) di sini, hari ini. 

Selain Ahmad Zahid yang juga Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan Ab Rauf yang juga Ketua Menteri Melaka, turut hadir, Yang Dipertua Negeri, Tun Dr Mohd Ali Rustam dan Menteri Perpaduan Negeri, Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang.

Bulan lalu, Menteri Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing dilaporkan berkata, kerajaan pada dasarnya bersetuju menjadikan Melaka sebagai tuan rumah pelancaran sambutan TMM 2026. 

Ia termasuk kelulusan peruntukan bagi sambutan itu kerana persediaannya akan dilakukan kerajaan negeri sendiri.

-berita harian online.

Malaysia, China submit joint lion dance nomination for Unesco heritage list

 

GEORGE TOWN: The nomination dossiers for the lion dance and Chingay parade have been submitted to Unesco for inclusion in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity. 

State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai confirmed that the lion dance nomination is a joint effort between Malaysia and China, while the Chingay parade is a collaborative nomination between Malaysia and Singapore. 

"Unesco will announce the results of these nominations by the end of 2026," Wong said in a statement today. 

"These nominations will elevate the global recognition of these iconic traditional performances."

Wong explained that the state government worked with Malaysia's National Heritage Department and China's Department of National Heritage to compile the necessary documentation for the lion dance nomination. 

Regarding the Chingay parade, Wong highlighted its role as a vibrant cultural event featuring lion and dragon dances, floats, and other performances.

Held annually in Penang, Johor, and Singapore, it celebrates community spirit. Historical records from The Straits Times dating back to 1883 reflect Penang's longstanding Chingay tradition. 

Originally a religious celebration by the local Chinese community, the event has evolved into a state-supported tourism attraction, drawing both locals and tourists to the streets of Penang each year. 

"The Penang government, through my office, has sent representatives to workshops to prepare the nomination dossiers for both the lion dance and Chingay parade," Wong added. 

"We take pride in this collaboration and are committed to preserving these invaluable elements of our intangible cultural heritage." 

In June last year, Malaysia and China signed an agreement to jointly nominate the lion dance for Unescos' Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

Similarly, in November, Malaysia and Singapore announced plans to jointly nominate the Chingay street parade for inclusion in the list by March 2025. 

Singapore's National Heritage Board (NHB) noted that the decision was made jointly, given the presence of Chingay-practicing communities in both countries, including in Penang and Johor Baru.

-nst online.

PATA forecasts strong visitor growth in Asia-Pacific through 2027

 

PATA has released the latest Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts for 2025-2027, providing in-depth insights into tourism recovery trends across the region. 

This comprehensive report, prepared in collaboration with the Hospitality and Tourism Research Centre of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, presents forecasts for 39 destinations in the Asia-Pacific region across mild, medium, and severe scenarios, offering critical insights for stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry. 

The PATA Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2025-2027 highlights international visitor arrivals (IVAs) are expected to reach 813.7 million by 2027, up from 648.1 million in 2024, indicating steady growth. Recovery is being fuelled by easier visa processes, more airline routes, and improved infrastructure. Initiatives like China’s visa-free transit expansion and Thailand’s Six Countries, One Destination project are helping boost visitor numbers. 

China is set to regain its spot as the top inbound destination, with the US, Türkiye, and Hong Kong also performing well. Mongolia, Türkiye, Sri Lanka, and Japan are expected to see the fastest recovery, surpassing pre-pandemic visitor numbers. China will remain the largest source market, followed by the US, Hong Kong, South Korea, and India, with growing middle classes in India and South-east Asia driving more outbound travel. 

The region’s tourism will also be shaped by economic shifts, geopolitics, and technological advancements, with digital transformation, sustainable tourism, and new infrastructure enhancing the travel experience. 

“As global travel continues its strong recovery, the Asia-Pacific region remains a key driver of growth. This latest forecast highlights the dynamic shifts in visitor flows, policy interventions, and infrastructure improvements that will shape the region’s tourism landscape over the next three years. By understanding these evolving trends, destinations can better position themselves for sustainable growth and resilience,” said PATA CEO Noor Ahmad Hamid. 

“As we move forward, the industry must remain agile and adaptive to shifting market dynamics. The insights from the PATA Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2025-2027 will be invaluable for policymakers, businesses, and destination marketers aiming to capitalise on emerging opportunities.” 

The PATA Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts 2025-2027 report is available at PATA website.

-TTG Asia.