23/01/2026

LYFE FRIDAY | JAN 23, 2026 12 Travellers can expect surprises in Selangor A S Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026) kicks off nationwide, Selangor will continue its Visit Selangor Year campaign into campaign saw the state recording 80% of its eight million visitor target as early as September 2025. The encouraging performance prompted the state to extend the campaign, ensuring continuity as Malaysia enters its biggest tourism push ahead of VMY2026. o State extends tourism campaign to support Visit Malaysia 2026, with focus on communities

Throughout 2026, Selangor will host over 90 tourism-driven events, taking place almost every week across the state. These events span food, culture, lifestyle, creative industries, agro-tourism and community-based experiences, ensuring there is always something happening for domestic and international travellers. Among the major state-led events returning in 2026 are Selangor Travel Fair, Selangor Food Mega Festival, Selangor Coffee Festival, Selangor Paddy Field Festival and more. “Community-based tourism will remain a key pillar of Selangor’s strategy. Following the appointment of 49 Selangor Community Hosts in 2025, the programme is set to expand further in 2026, empowering local communities to become storytellers, guides and ambassadors for their own destinations. The initiative aims to highlight authentic local experiences from village life and traditional food to

2026, strengthening the state’s role as one of Malaysia’s key tourism gateways and contributors to the national tourism agenda. With Malaysia targeting 47 million tourist arrivals under VMY2026, Selangor is positioning itself to capture a significant share of that growth. Tourism Selangor has set a target of welcoming 9 million tourists in 2026, building on the strong momentum achieved over the past year. The Visit Selangor Year 2025

Scenic views await travellers at Tabur Hill, Gombak.

heritage sites and nature-based attractions, while ensuring tourism benefits are shared directly with local communities,” she added. As home to Malaysia’s main international gateway, Selangor continues to play a role in welcoming visitors to the country. With its mix of urban attractions, nature escapes, cultural diversity and easy connectivity, the state offers travellers a complete experience whether it is their first stop in Malaysia or a destination in its own right. With VMY2026 underway, Selangor invites travellers to expect more surprises, better experiences and stronger community connections throughout the year.

Tourism Selangor CEO Chua Yee Ling, in a statement, said rather than slowing down, it is moving forward with renewed energy. “The extension of Visit Selangor Year allows us to support Visit Malaysia Year 2026 while continuing to introduce fresh experiences, stronger collaborations and more reasons for visitors to keep coming back.”

Base jumping at Gua Damai Extreme Park.

Chua says community-based tourism will remain a key pillar of Selangor’s strategy.

Climbing at Gua Damai Extreme Park, Gombak.

One-stop travel app HopeGoo launches in Malaysia with 24/7 service HOPEGOO, a one-stop travel app first launched in mainland China and Hong Kong, has launched in Malaysia, offering Malaysians a more convenient way to book affordable flights and hotels with multilingual support. HopeGoo’s signature “Your Travel Companion” 24/7 One-on-One across mainland China and Hong Kong over the past two years, HopeGoo is bringing its travel services to more travellers across Asia as part of its next phase of growth. Malaysia was selected as one of HopeGoo’s key growth markets as China has long been one of the top outbound travel destinations

they are abroad. With our 24/7 hands on support, HopeGoo is designed to make travel simpler, more reliable and more rewarding, ensuring travellers receive timely assistance at every stage of their journey. Just one year after launching in Hong Kong, HopeGoo entered the ranks of Hong Kong App Store’s most popular travel apps. This gives us strong confidence in bringing the same customer support-driven experience to Malaysian travellers,” said HopeGoo Malaysia apps user growth senior manager Kent Chin. HopeGoo’s roll-out is further backed by its parent company Tongcheng Travel, which established a partnership with the Malaysian Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry in 2023 to explore inbound tourism development.

for Malaysians, alongside regional favourites such as Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. Combined with the close tourism and cultural ties between Malaysia and China, these factors create a strong foundation for HopeGoo’s local expansion. “As we introduce HopeGoo to Malaysian travellers, our priority is to ensure the experience reflects how Malaysians plan, book and travel overseas. Beyond competitive pricing, travellers value peace of mind when

WhatsApp Butler Service can also be activated by downloading HopeGoo and contacting the in-app customer support. From trip planning to on-the go assistance while abroad, Your Travel Companion simplifies every stage of the travel journey, allowing travellers to focus on the fun, not the hassle. Currently designed especially for tourists visiting China, the service will soon expand to include more destinations. After serving millions of users

The app offers a 24/7 one-to-one WhatsApp Butler Service for free to help travellers plan, book, translate and troubleshoot whenever things get confusing abroad.