Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the decision, made at a meeting today, would be brought to the Cabinet for endorsement, Bernama reported.

“This decision is being taken to enable Malaysia to adopt a proactive approach in strengthening promotional strategies, showcasing the country as a safe, stable and competitive destination, as well as seizing opportunities from changing tourist travel patterns.

“This measure also takes into account current developments, including the conflict that broke out on Feb 28 in West Asia.

“The unrest has had a significant impact on regional stability and affected the global tourism sector,” he said after the meeting.

Zahid, who is the VM2026 main committee chairman, said projections showed that tourist arrivals from West Asia could decline by 11% to 27%, resulting in a drop in revenue.

Last year, Malaysia was reported to have drawn 42 million visitors, with tourism receipts reaching RM291 billion.

Zahid said the conflict has badly affected tourism hotspots in Asia and Asean. It has also disrupted international flight routes, increasing travel costs due to rising fuel prices and transport costs.

“This situation has reduced tourists’ confidence. This is expected to have implications for global tourism flow in the near future,” he said.

He said the campaign aims to increase tourism revenue, strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness in the tourism industry, and position the sector as one of the main contributors to the country’s gross domestic product.