The festival includes two main activities: the Destination Introduction Workshop and Business Connection Exchange; along with the Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture and Cuisine Festival 2025 program. The activities will take place from July 29 to August 2, 2025, aiming to connect industry partners, the media and the public, while introducing Malaysia's unique tourism products and promoting bilateral cooperation.
The Malaysian delegation was led by His Excellency Dato' Sri Tiong King Sing – Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia, with 30 representatives from the tourism, hospitality and services sectors.
During a series of events in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, His Excellency Dato Sri Tiong King Sing - Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia officially announced Visit Malaysia Year 2026 along with the Malaysian Food & Culture Week and the Malaysia Second Home (MM2H) Programme.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister Dato' Sri Tiong King Sing emphasized: "Vietnam has always been one of Malaysia's most important tourism partners in Southeast Asia. We believe that this visit will promote strong partnerships, towards the common goal of developing sustainable and comprehensive tourism and bringing long-term benefits to both countries."
The event is also a strong affirmation of Malaysia's commitment to Vietnam, promising a brilliant development period for the bilateral tourism industry.
He also said: “The series of events in Vietnam not only introduces the unique values of tourism, arts, culture and cuisine of Malaysia, but also acts as a bridge of cultural diplomacy, contributing to enhancing understanding and connection between the two close neighboring countries in ASEAN. This is an important milestone in Malaysia's international promotion strategy towards Visit Malaysia 2026."
The Destination Introduction and Business Matchmaking Seminar will bring together representatives from the tourism, aviation and hotel sectors of the two countries to seek new cooperation opportunities. The program will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on July 29, 2025 (at Nikko Saigon Hotel) and in Hanoi on August 1, 2025 (at Sheraton Hanoi Hotel).
Traditional Malaysian dance performance
This is an opportunity to promote the culture and tourism of the two countries.
The event brought together many units in the Malaysian tourism industry.
The Malaysia Tourism, Arts, Culture and Food Festival 2025 is a community event that celebrates Malaysia’s diverse heritage through traditional art performances, handicraft demonstrations and culinary showcases. It aims to promote cultural exchange and community bonding between the people of the two countries.
In parallel, the MADANI Week, organized by the Embassy of Malaysia in Hanoi, is inspired by the “Madani” philosophy – promoting six core values: sustainability, prosperity, innovation, respect, trust and compassion – integrated into the fields of culture, education and trade. This is a testament to Malaysia’s commitment to comprehensive national development and strengthening strategic partnerships with countries like Vietnam.
By July 2025, there will be 164 direct flights per week between Malaysia and Vietnam, catering to the growing demand from tourists. The increased frequency of flights will give tourists more flexibility in their schedules, while also boosting segments such as weekend travel, MICE travel and business-leisure travel, which are particularly attractive to the middle class and young Vietnamese.
Experience the unique culinary culture of Malaysia at the event
Malaysia is currently the second largest ASEAN market in terms of visitors to Vietnam, after Cambodia, with 266,000 Malaysian visitors in the first five months of 2025. In contrast, Malaysia also welcomed 168,677 Vietnamese visitors in the same period, affirming its position as a favorite destination for Vietnamese tourists.
