Homegrown creative industry strengthens Malaysia’s tourism appeal

Upin & Ipin characters with VM2026-2027 mascots, Wira and Manja at the Mini Karnival Upin & Ipin Bersama Tourism Malaysia held in a mall at Petaling Jaya, Selangor recently.

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, Nov 4: Malaysia’s homegrown creative industry could play a bigger role in promoting the country as a tourism destination, with locally developed intellectual properties offering an alternative way to reach domestic and international audiences.

The popularity of homegrown animation series such as Upin & Ipin, particularly across Southeast Asia, presents an opportunity to connect entertainment with destination marketing, allowing familiar local characters to help introduce Malaysia’s tourism offerings to a wider audience.

This approach is reflected in Tourism Malaysia’s collaboration with Les’ Copaque Production Sdn Bhd in organising a Mini Upin & Ipin Carnival with Tourism Malaysia in Selangor recently, which leveraged the animation brand’s regional following as part of efforts to broaden the reach of the Visit Malaysia Campaign 2026-2027 (VM2026-2027).

The event is also part of Tourism Malaysia’s efforts to expand family-based tourism promotion and boost the reach of the VM2026-2027 to both domestic and regional markets

With Upin & Ipin enjoying a broad audience in neighbouring countries such as Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore, the partnership also offers a channel for Malaysia to strengthen its visibility as a family-friendly tourism destination.

In a press statement, Tourism Malaysia said, “The initiative reflects a creative approach to utilising local intellectual property to promote Malaysia’s diverse tourism experiences, especially to family and youth segments. This effort simultaneously reinforces Malaysia’s visibility as a family-friendly tourism destination.”

In line with the rollout of the VM2026-2027, Tourism Malaysia will continue to strengthen strategic partnerships with industry players and local creative partners to expand promotional reach and elevate Malaysia’s appeal as a premier choice destination locally and internationally.

According to data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the nation’s domestic tourism sector continues to register positive growth, aligning with efforts to highlight the “Yang Indah, Destinasi Kita” aspiration. For the first half of 2026, Malaysia recorded 151.6 million domestic visitors, a 5.6 per cent increase compared to 143.5 million during the same period in 2025. Total domestic tourism expenditure also rose by 14 per cent to RM66.8 billion, up from RM58.6 billion in the previous year.

For the period between January and September 2026, Malaysia also recorded 32.3 million international visitor arrivals, representing a 2.4 percent increase compared to 31.5 million in the corresponding period in 2025. This positive performance across both domestic and international sectors continues to drive the development of Malaysia’s tourism industry. – DayakDaily