KUALA LUMPUR, 1 January 2026 — The Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign officially commenced with the Visit Malaysia 2026 Countdown Festival, a large-scale New Year’s Eve celebration held at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur last night.
The festival, attended by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, marked the start of national efforts to build early momentum for the tourism sector, aligned with Malaysia’s aspiration to attract 43 million international visitor arrivals and position the country as a leading global tourism destination.
Jointly organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and The Fame Events, the celebration featured an integrated showcase combining pyromusical fireworks, laser projections, and iconic 3D anamorphic visuals, symbolically ushering in the year 2026.
Adding to the festive atmosphere was the appearance of Wira and Manja, the VM2026 sun bear mascots, which represent Malaysia’s identity, warmth, and uniqueness as a world-class tourism destination.
Also present at the event were Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Mustapha Sakmud.
In a statement, Tiong said the countdown celebration was designed to ignite momentum for VM2026 while welcoming the world to Malaysia.
“Malaysia is now fully ready to showcase its unique culture, creativity and the warm hospitality of its people.
It marks a strong head start towards our aspiration of 43 million international visitor arrivals, further solidifying our position on the global tourism map,” he said.
The New Year’s Eve celebration also featured a wide range of cultural and entertainment performances reflecting Malaysia’s diversity, with appearances by well-known artistes including Shila Amzah, Aina Abdul, Belle Sisoski, Vanessa Reynauld, Kidd Santhe, The Kuans, and KLP48, alongside a fusion of traditional and contemporary music elements.
As a major public event marking the launch of VM2026, the festival drew thousands of locals and tourists, strengthening Malaysia’s visibility on the international tourism stage.
MOTAC said several side activities were also organised to extend the reach of the celebrations, including the VM2026 Bazaar at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, the VM2026 Arts and Culture Exhibition at Fahrenheit 88, as well as food bazaars and street performances around Bukit Bintang, offering the public greater engagement with local heritage and creativity.
The festival was supported by Tourism Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) as main partners, along with several cultural agencies as strategic partners.
