Malaysia’s Sabah travel firms eye Vietnamese market

Through the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board Office in Vietnam, the Sabah Enhanced Travel Innovation Association, and the Sabah Tourism Board jointly organized an event titled ‘Sabah Tourism Destination Presentation and B2B Session’ to showcase Sabah’s destinations and new tourism services to the Vietnamese market.

Speaking at the event, Amirah Nadiah Mazlan, director of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board in Vietnam, expressed her hope to expand cooperation with Vietnam.

“Sabah is ready to work alongside Vietnamese partners to develop suitable, long-term and strategic tourism products,” she said.

According to the board, Malaysia will continue to coordinate with airlines to roll out seasonal promotional programs.

Last year, many summer promotions were launched to stimulate demand from Vietnamese travelers.

This year, stakeholders have begun working from early on to build a year-round promotion plan, with summer identified as a key period.

Julinus Jeffry Jimit, director general of the Sabah Tourism Board, described Vietnam as one of Sabah’s most promising markets.

He said direct connections between tourism businesses on both sides are crucial for expanding networks and building long-term, sustainable partnerships with Vietnam.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on the sidelines of the event, Tony Hung Tran, representative of Vietnamese tour operator Golden Smile Travel, said Malaysia in general and Sabah in particular have strong appeal thanks to their rich wildlife ecosystems and cultural diversity, shaped by more than 30 ethnic communities.

“The short distance, affordable airfares, familiar cuisine, and relatively similar cultural environment make it easy for Vietnamese travelers to visit, adapt, and return multiple times,” he said.

He also pointed out that recent instability in parts of Southeast Asia, especially tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, is expected to affect regional tourism.

“Tourism businesses must look for safer and more stable alternative destinations," Tony Hung Tran said.

“Malaysia, with its stable political and social environment, could be a viable choice."

Sharing a similar view, Nguyen Vu Quang, director of Wonder Tour, said his company joined the event to seek preferential offers and develop new tours tailored to Vietnamese travelers this year.

Compared with major markets such as China, South Korea, and Japan, Malaysia still offers fresh opportunities and untapped potential, he said.

Malaysia’s intensified tourism promotion in 2026 will coincide with the national campaign ‘Visit Malaysia 2026,’ which aims to attract 43 million international visitors.

Under the theme ‘Surreal Experiences,’ the campaign will feature festivals, cultural programs, exhibitions, and community activities throughout the year.