DUBAI – The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) through its agency Tourism Malaysia is taking over the Malaysia Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) between 26th December 2021 until 31st December 2021.

Promoting Malaysia as the next Top of the Mind Ecotourism Destination in the World, the Ecotourism Week at the Malaysia Pavilion takes the call from Malaysia’s National Tourism Policy 2020-2030 which highlights the practice of sustainable and responsible tourism. Malaysia is joined by 16 organisations, consisting of five (5) state tourism boards, three (3) associations, one (1) hotel chain, one (1) product owner, and six (6) tour operators.

Throughout Tourism Malaysia’s Ecotourism Week, participants get to learn more about different perspectives of ecotourism in Malaysia by Malaysia’s renowned speakers at the Expert Talk series, namely:

Mr Andrew Sebastian – Ecotourism & Conservation Society Malaysia
Mr Syed Abd Rahman Syed Hassan – Diveheart Malaysia
Adj. Prof Anthony Wong Kim Hooi – Sustainability & Ecotourism Expert
Mr Eric Sinnaya – Malaysia Nature Society
The Honourable Minister Dato’ Sri Hajah Nancy Shukri has graced the occasion today and officiated the launch of the Malaysian classic traditional trishaw, or locally known as beca, as well as several Malaysia packages highlighting new ecotourism products in various destinations in Malaysia.

As part of her first Tourism Sales Mission to the Middle East, Dato’ Sri Nancy will also attend a networking dinner with members of the travel trade and media in UAE on 30 December 2021. Scheduled from 1st to 5th January 2022, the mission aims to reinstate and enhance the commitment to establishing good tourism cooperation, engaging future collaborations, and cooperation in the tourism industry.

The Malaysian Government launched its first International Travel Bubble by reopening Langkawi Island to fully-vaccinated international tourists beginning last 15th November, with no quarantine requirements. Following that, Malaysia continued with reopening its land and air borders for Singaporean citizens through a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) Arrangement starting 29th November. As of 28th December 2021, xx.x% of Malaysia’s adult population have been fully inoculated, totalling xx.x% of its total population to have received complete vaccination. (xx to be updated on 28 December)

Malaysia’s participation in Expo 2020 Dubai is spearheaded by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) with the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC) as the implementing agency.