SUNWAY SIGNS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH TOURISM MALAYSIA TO PROMOTE VISIT MALAYSIA YEAR 2026-27 | News
Sunway Hospitality Group, Malaysia’s leading hospitality company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tourism Malaysia that will support the Visit Malaysia Year 2026-27 campaign and position this vibrant Southeast Asian nation as a destination-of-choice for international travel and tourism.
Signed on 15th June 2026 in a major ceremony attended by Mr. Alex Castaldi, CEO of Sunway Hospitality Group, and Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, this MoU will lay the foundation for these two like-minded organisations to embark on a wide range of joint marketing initiatives, with the aim of helping Malaysia to achieve its target of 47 million international arrivals in 2026.
Malaysia’s tourism industry is thriving. The country welcomed 42.2 million visitors in 2025, which marked a 20% increase compared to the pre-pandemic total in 2019 and restored its position as the most-visited country in Southeast Asia. Building upon this success, Tourism Malaysia has now launched Visit Malaysia Year, which aims to highlight its diverse natural attractions, rich cultural heritage and immersive guest experiences, in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As of April, Malaysia recorded 14.0 million visitor arrivals, marking a 4.7 per cent growth compared to 13.3 million visitor arrivals in the same period last year
As a proud Malaysian company established by its visionary founder & chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO, to drive sustainable development and responsible tourism, Sunway will now work side-by-side with Tourism Malaysia to showcase the country to audiences around the world.
The partnership will focus on collaborative promotions that engage directly with the travel trade, media and influencers. Sunway will actively support Tourism Malaysia’s familiarisation trips and hosted experiences at the group’s portfolio of twelve (12) world-class hotels and resorts across Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia. The two parties will come together for overseas sales missions and international trade events, while also launching co-branded campaigns and marketing initiatives in key regional and long-haul markets.
Mr. Alex Castaldi, CEO, Sunway Hospitality Group, commented: “It is a great honour to join hands with Tourism Malaysia and play a key role in supporting Visit Malaysia Year, which will reaffirm the country’s position as a global hub of travel and hospitality. Following the vision of Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO, our strategies always align with the broader needs of Malaysia and the UN’s SDGs. Through this collaboration, Sunway will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Tourism Malaysia as we strive to create a prosperous future for the nation.”
En. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General, Tourism Malaysia, said: “By combining Tourism Malaysia’s destination expertise with Sunway’s broad hospitality footprint, we will drive powerful digital engagement and bring the best of Malaysia to new global audiences. I expressed my gratitude to the recent developments and innovations of Sunway. With the focus on education and sustainable development, Sunway has proven its deep commitment to the long-term success and prosperity of the nation”.
Sunway Hospitality Group is fully committed to promoting Malaysia and elevating the tourism sector to the highest levels of international excellence. For example, at Sunway Resort Hotel, the flagship property in the heart of Sunway City Kuala Lumpur, guests can discover iconic global brands such as Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, while The Banjaran Hotsprings Resort, which is nestled within ancient limestone hills and geothermal springs in Ipoh, was awarded at the Travel+Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific and named as Malaysia’s “Best Destination Hotel” by Tatler. The group is also part of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest network of independent hotel brands, which operates the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme with 35 million members.
To celebrate this strategic partnership and support the goals of VM2026, Sunway Hospitality Group has launched a special promotional campaign. The campaign offers guests up to 30 per cent off room rates and a complimentary room upgrade across participating hotels and resorts in Malaysia, along with double DISCOVERY Dollars (D$) for members of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty programme. The offer is available for bookings made until 31 July 2026 for stays through to 30 September 2026 via www.sunwayhotels.com. This initiative is designed to encourage travellers to discover more of Malaysia while enjoying greater value and rewarding experiences throughout their stay.
To learn more about Sunway Hospitality Group, please visit www.sunwayhotels.com.
