FINAS-TOURISM MALAYSIA PARTNERSHIP EYES RM1 BILLION IN INVESTMENTS

KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 (Bernama) -- The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) is targeting about RM1 billion in investments over the next five years through a strategic partnership with Tourism Malaysia, aiming to position the country as an international filming hub and a film-based tourism destination.

FINAS chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said the target is supported by a government-approved allocation of RM300 million under the Film In Malaysia Incentive (FIMI) for the period.

He said that since its introduction in 2013, the FIMI rebate initiative has successfully drawn around RM2 billion in investments from local and international productions, while generating an estimated economic spillover of RM8 billion across the tourism, hospitality, transport and services sectors.

“This is a win-win collaboration, as the film industry not only brings international investment to Malaysia, but also serves as a platform to showcase the country’s beauty to both global and domestic tourists,” he told reporters after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FINAS and Tourism Malaysia here today.

The MoU was signed by Azmir Saifuddin representing FINAS and Tourism Malaysia director-general Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, on behalf of the agency.

Azmir Saifuddin said Malaysia is gaining recognition as a filming hub for international productions, covering reality programmes, dramas and films, thereby strengthening the country’s standing in the global creative industry.

Meanwhile, Mohd Amirul Rizal said the collaboration was seen as a strategic move to support the country’s target of attracting 47 million foreign tourists in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.

He added that as of March 26, the number of tourists visiting the country remained on an upward trend, despite slight declines in some markets such as the Middle East and Europe.

“Despite the challenges in certain markets, we will make up for the shortfall by exploring new markets and strengthening promotions through creative approaches, including the use of film content as a tourism attraction,” he said.

Mohd Amirul Rizal said the concept of screen tourism would be strengthened through efforts to transform filming locations into tourist destinations, citing the success of the Korean drama “Winter Sonata” which helped make Nami Island an iconic tourist site.

He said Tourism Malaysia would collaborate with local authorities to ensure that potential filming locations could be developed into easily accessible tourism products that provide meaningful experiences for visitors.

--BERNAMA