HO CHI MINH CITY, 21 December 2023: Tourism Malaysia promotes homestay, education and golf tourism to open up niche market travel between Vietnam and Malaysia.
Collaborating with the Malaysia Homestay Association and Education Malaysia Ho Chi Minh City, Tourism Malaysia organised the Tourism, Education, Homestay Seminar in addition to the Malaysia Golf Networking Programme last week. The two events delivered a strong promotional pitch for travel content providers and travel influencers in Ho Chi Minh City to offer homestay, education and golfing options.
Malaysia was positioned as a destination with valuable opportunities to promote community-based tourism (homestay) while showcasing Malaysia as an ideal study destination for Vietnamese students aspiring to pursue overseas education opportunities.
The event drew representatives from various agencies in Malaysia and Vietnam, including the Malaysia Homestay Entrepreneurs Association,
represented by Dato’ Sahariman Hamdan, President of the Malaysia Homestay Association, the Village Stay Enterprise, and the Pahang Homestay Association.
Golf promotion
Meanwhile, the Malaysia Golf Programme unfolded at Tan Son Nhat Golf Course, promoting the country’s world-class golf courses and major golf tournaments. Tourism Malaysia director-general Dato Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar commented: “These initiatives are a testament to Malaysia’s commitment to fostering meaningful tourism
exchanges. As we gear up for Visit Malaysia Year 2026, we aim to elevate these experiences and collaborations to new heights, creating enduring connections and showcasing Malaysia’s diverse attractions.”
Tourism Malaysia director in Vietnam, Nor Hayati Zainuddin noted: “The amalgamation of sports, art, culture, and Malaysia’s heritage is
considered a perfect blend for visitors to Malaysia. We take pride in Malaysia’s golf courses being ranked among Asia’s top 100 best golf courses.
She concluded: We believe these events will be a significant opportunity to strengthen tourism cooperation between the two countries, marking a substantial step in developing community-based and golf tourism in Malaysia.”
Malaysia is targeting 36.5 million tourist arrivals during Visit Malaysia 2026. As of September 2023, Malaysia welcomed 272,852 tourists from Vietnam compared to 173,763 arrivals recorded in 2022.
