By Rukku A
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11: Working together will be important to make Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) a success and contribute towards the country’s tourism revenue, and it would be best not to politicise or racialise any collaborative efforts taken towards offering programmes for tourists, said Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Dato Sri Tiong King Sing.
Speaking at a press conference following the launch of Bask Bear Coffee & Toasties’ sponsorship plan for VM2026, he said the ministry had been collaborating with various international and Malaysian brands to support its tourism campaign with the hope of more private sector involvement in the promotion of Malaysia as a tourist destination.
He was responding to a question on whether the ministry was working with only specific brands.
Commending Bask Bear Coffee & Toasties, a local coffee brand company, inspired by the basking Malayan Sun Bear and which also uses a special home grown palm sugar – Aren – sourced from Borneo for its coffee, the minister said he was also calling on more Malaysian brands to support the VM2026 campaign.
Tiong also expressed hope that with the support, Malaysia would be able to reach the VM2026 campaign target of 47 million international arrivals and RM329 billion in tourism receipts.
Bryan Loo, the founder and chief executive officer of Bask Bear Coffee & Toasties’ brand owner, Loob Holding Sdn Bhd, meanwhile said they were the first lifestyle brand to roll out such a large-scale sponsorship for VM2026 that will benefit both foreign tourists and Malaysians.
“This collaboration with Tourism Malaysia reflects our continued commitment to the mission of supporting national tourism, promoting local sourcing, and sharing the warmth of Malaysia’s coffee culture with the world,” he said.
Under the plan, the company will sponsor RM1.2 million worth of coffee for 100,000 foreign tourists through a “Buy-1- Free 1” for its Aren coffee series, which uses the Arenpalm sugar, said to be a healthier option over brown sugar or even honey.
–WE