Melaka bets on durian to draw domestic tourists for Visit Malaysia Year 2026

ALOR GAJAH – Durian is set to become one of Melaka's new draws for domestic tourists in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year (VMY) 2026.

Tourism Malaysia Southern Region director Maizatul Liza Mukhtar said Melaka is targeting a five per cent increase in domestic tourists this year, after recording about 11 million visitors last year.

She said the target would be driven by the introduction of new tourism products and experiences, including durian-based agrotourism.

"We want to introduce Melaka to everyone. Not everyone knows Melaka and not everyone has been to this state.

"Now is the time, let's holiday in Melaka," she said when met at the Melaka Surreal Durian Experience 2026 programme here today. (Quotes translated from Malay.)

Industry players brought in to taste it themselves

Maizatul Liza said the approach of showcasing tourism experiences directly is also being carried out by bringing in industry players from outside the state to see and sample Melaka's products and attractions for themselves.

Such exposure, she said, is important to enable industry players to create more attractive tour packages while widening promotion of the destination to domestic travellers.

She added that the Melaka Surreal Durian Experience 2026 is among the efforts to introduce durian as an agrotourism product capable of rounding out a holiday package to the state.

"We want to introduce Melaka as a destination for durian lovers.

"At the same time, we want to promote Melaka and lift the agrotourism sector in the state because every place has its own identity and attraction," she said.

She said the diversity of tourism products — including food, heritage, culture and agrotourism — can give travellers fresh reasons to return and explore Melaka.