By Rafiq Vayani
KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism Malaysia, through the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 (VM2026–2027) Secretariat, entered into a strategic collaboration with Sepang International Circuit (SIC) for the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2026 (MotoGP™ Malaysia), which was held from 30 October to 1 November 2026 at the Sepang International Circuit.
The three-day event successfully drew more than 196,000 spectators and reached millions of global motorsport fans through live broadcasts. For VM2026–2027, this traction reflected the event’s capability to raise VM2026–2027’s global visibility, introduce Malaysia’s cultural diversity and tourism products to international audiences, and further encourage visitors to experience the country beyond the circuit.
Mr Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, commented, “Motorsport brings together passionate fans from every corner of the world, and the PETRONAS Grand Prix of Malaysia 2026 is one of the most powerful stages on which to introduce them to Malaysia. Through this collaboration with Sepang International Circuit, we are putting the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign at the forefront of international visitors’ attention, while inviting them to discover our culture, heritage and gastronomy long after the chequered flag has fallen. We are grateful to Sepang International Circuit for its commitment as a partner in this effort.”
Mr Azhan Shafriman Hanif, Chief Executive Officer of Sepang International Circuit, said, “We are delighted to embark on this meaningful collaboration with Tourism Malaysia and look forward to growing it into a long-term partnership, with the potential to become a regular feature of our racing calendar. It is truly encouraging to witness the tremendous support for this year’s event. On behalf of Sepang International Circuit, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Tourism Malaysia and all participating ministries, our passionate fans, the dedicated SIC team and everyone whose hard work and commitment have contributed to making this event a success.”
In addition, Tourism Malaysia also hosted guests under its Mega Familiarisation (Mega Fam) programme at the event, giving them first-hand experience of the MotoGP™ Malaysia weekend alongside the country’s immersive travel experiences, cultural heritage, and gastronomic offerings that define Malaysia, Beautifully Yours.
Beyond brand exposure, the collaboration is expected to encourage greater international arrivals. From January to September 2026, Malaysia received 32.3 million international visitors, a 2.4 per cent increase from 31.5 million recorded during the same period in 2025. Furthermore, higher visitor arrivals can yield stronger visitor spending, creating spillover benefits for the accommodation, transportation, food and beverage and retail sectors, as well as local enterprises. This supports the broader aim of VM2026–2027 to deliver inclusive growth for communities and industry stakeholders.
The partnership also reflects strong cooperation among government agencies, industry players and strategic partners in advancing Malaysia’s tourism, arts and culture agenda, ensuring the benefits of hosting major international events are enjoyed widely by the people. Through this collaboration, Tourism Malaysia effectively reinforced its commitment to leveraging world-class international events to strengthen Malaysia’s standing as a destination of choice, in support of the VM2026–2027 objectives.
rafiq@biztoday.news
