A Message From Panorama Destination Malaysia:
Warm greetings from Kuala Lumpur!
September offers plenty of reasons to explore Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Melaka continue to offer excellent options for culture, heritage and gastronomy, while the highlands provide a refreshing escape into cooler surroundings. For travellers looking further afield, Sabah and Sarawak combine spectacular landscapes and wildlife with some of Malaysia’s most distinctive Indigenous cultures, making Malaysian Borneo an excellent choice for adventurous and experiential travel.
September arrives at an exciting time for tourism in Malaysia, as the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign continues to build momentum and extend is reach. International tourism is performing strongly, with Malaysia welcoming 21.2 million visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, up 2.5% year-on-year. The country also recently celebrated international recognition at the PATA Gold Awards in Kuching, where the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign video, Surreal Experiences, received the Gold Award in the Marketing – Travel Video category.
The month also brings a busy calendar of events and celebrations. Malaysia Day on 16 September provides an opportunity to experience the country’s national pride and multicultural identity, with celebrations taking place around the country. Other highlights include the Borneo Cultural Festival in Sibu from 3–12 September, the Sepilok Jazz Festival in Sabah on 4–5 September and the colourful Keretapi Sarong celebrations on Malaysia Day. Kuala Lumpur will also host the Malaysia International Craft Fair from 24 September to 5 October and the Visit Malaysia 2026 Food Festival at MaTiC from 25–27 September. For the travel industry, the MATTA Fair returns to Kuala Lumpur from 4–6 September, bringing together hundreds of tourism businesses and thousands of travel products under one roof.
September is also Islamic Tourism Month, a nationwide initiative showcasing Malaysia’s growing range of Muslim-friendly tourism experiences. The many celebrations taking place this month provide a reminder of the cultural diversity that makes travelling through Malaysia so rewarding. From Malay, Chinese and Indian heritage to the many cultures of Sabah and Sarawak, visitors can experience an extraordinary variety of traditions, cuisines and communities within a single journey.
At Panorama Destination Malaysia, we look forward to helping our partners make the most of this diversity. Whether your clients are discovering the heritage streets and flavours of Penang, exploring Kuala Lumpur, heading into the rainforests of Borneo or simply looking for somewhere a little less travelled, September offers countless opportunities to experience another side of Malaysia. We look forward to welcoming your guests and sharing the people, places and stories that make our country truly unique.
Sincerely,
Panorama Destination Malaysia
