Championing Change: Pioneering Sustainable Tourism for a Resilient Malaysia
14 October 2024, Putrajaya – Sustainable tourism continues to be a major focus for the domestic tourism industry given Malaysia’s unique position in needing to strike a balance between economic growth alongside environmental conservation of its luscious terrain and social responsibility.
Recognising the need to achieve this, the Tourism Productivity Nexus (TPN) under the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Malaysia, jointly designed a 6-month Sustainable Tourism Industry Champion Workshop took place since April 2024. The challenges including high-yield tourism, governance and industry readiness, community-based tourism, digitisation, and capacity building, were identified in depth throughout the workshop.
The final workshop on October 9, 2024, featuring a full day session together with key tourism industry associations and experts, underscores the country’s commitment to accelerate the Malaysian tourism sector’s adoption of sustainable practices.
It is also the finale of a four-part series workshop aimed at developing sustainable tourism leaders across the domestic tourism sector. Through this platform, key industry associations, industry experts and Government representatives was equipped to enhance their competencies, enabling quicker and leading the implementation of sustainable practices within their industry network.
In the final session, participants had the opportunity to share their proposals developed and (some) piloted in group during the workshop – fostering partnership among the Malaysian Tourism Industry leaders and providing valuable experience. Ongoing projects, and planned initiatives for sustainable practices are, aligned with the National Tourism Policy (NTP) and the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review. Moving forward, these leaders will go on to implement and showcase the sustainable practices they have learned in real-life scenarios, driving impactful change within the tourism sector.
UNDP Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Deputy Resident Representative, Manon Bernier said sustainable tourism is essential for Malaysia's tourism industry.
“By prioritising sustainable practices, the tourism sector can continue to attract visitors while preserving Malaysia's natural and cultural heritage for future generations. This approach helps protect the country's biodiversity and ecosystems as well as enhance the quality of life for local communities, creating long-term benefits for all stakeholders”, she said.
Manon said zooming in on innovative practices and strategic partnerships reinforces Malaysia’s position as a top destination for responsible and efficient tourism.
“This sets the stage for Malaysia to proudly host World Tourism Day in 2025, where the nation will have the opportunity to further highlight its leadership in sustainable tourism on a global platform, sharing its progress and initiatives with the world”, she said.
Following the workshop, UNDP Malaysia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Malaysia and the Tourism Productivity Nexus (TPN), hosted the Sustainable Tourism Conference on October 10, 2024.
The conference brought together key multi-stakeholders (both public and private) to explore innovative solutions and strategies for sustainable tourism. Industry players and leaders whose sustainable project proposals excel during the pitching process received recognition certificates, evaluated by a panel of eight experts from government ministries and agencies, UNDP, and industry leaders specialising in sustainable practices.
TPN Champion, Rohizam Md Yusoff, highlighted the importance of the workshops and conference in reinforcing Malaysia’s commitment to tourism excellence. “These initiatives underscore the country’s dedication not only to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also to enhancing productivity and competitiveness, positioning Malaysia as a global leader in the tourism sector. This effort is also closely aligned with the objectives of Malaysia’s Sustainable Tourism Recovery Project”, he stated.
This conference promises to be a pivotal platform for collaboration and knowledge-sharing, further establishing Malaysia as a frontrunner in sustainable tourism.
About Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC)
MPC is a statutory body under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI). It drives national productivity holistically at the national, sectoral, and enterprise levels through three main thrusts: developing future talent, driving digitization and innovation, and building a robust ecosystem. It collaborates strategically with the private and public sectors by emphasising productivity as a key agenda to boost productivity growth and national competitiveness, ultimately leading to shared well-being and prosperity.
For media inquiry:
Media Management Unit
media@mpc.gov.my
