VM2026 PROMOTION STRATEGIES MUST FOCUS ON TARGET GROUPS — AHMAD ZAHID

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 (Bernama) -- Promotional strategies to ensure the success of Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026) must be detailed according to the suitability of target groups to ensure the effectiveness of the campaign in attracting tourists, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said marketing approaches should not be generic, as each tourist segment has different interests.

“It must be followed up with subsequent actions. It cannot rely on a single form of publicity and must be aligned with the respective target groups,” he told reporters here today.

Earlier, he had flagged off participants of the Malaysia Night Music Run held in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 Runs.

Commenting on the running event, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Chairman of the VM2026 Cabinet Committee, expressed his admiration as participation reached more than 5,000 runners, far exceeding the initial target of 3,000 participants.

He also stressed the importance of organising sporting events such as marathons in attracting foreign tourist arrivals.

“It is hoped that many international participants will take part in marathons like this, and with good publicity, we will see an increase in foreign tourists, which will certainly help generate the country’s economy,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid also commended the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and Tourism Malaysia for proactively organising familiarisation trips for various categories such as wholesalers, retailers, airlines and media practitioners to strengthen tourism promotion in a comprehensive manner.

Earlier in the morning, the KL10 event — a 10-kilometre run involving more than 2,000 runners — was flagged off by Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Fadlun Mak Ujud.

-- BERNAMA