Brussels, October 20, 2025 – Malaysia has been honoured with the Best MICE Destination Award 2025 at the prestigious Global Tourism Forum, held in Brussels as part of World Travel Week. The award was received by H.E. Dato’ Mohd Khalid Abbasi Abdul Razak, Ambassador of Malaysia to Belgium, in recognition of Malaysia’s outstanding achievements in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) sector.

This global recognition comes at a pivotal moment for Malaysia, as the country prepares to host Visit Malaysia Year 2026, a landmark campaign aimed at showcasing its rich cultural heritage, world-class infrastructure, and diverse tourism offerings. The award highlights Malaysia’s strategic positioning as a leading destination for international business events and conferences.

In his acceptance remarks, Ambassador Dato’ Khalid emphasized Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable tourism, regional cooperation, and innovation. He noted that Malaysia’s role as Chair of ASEAN 2025 further reinforces its leadership in promoting cultural exchange and economic collaboration across Southeast Asia.

Malaysia’s MICE industry has seen significant growth, supported by state-of-the-art venues such as the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) and the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC). These facilities, combined with Malaysia’s hospitality, connectivity, and multilingual environment, make it an ideal hub for global events.

The Global Tourism Forum, organized by the World Tourism Forum Institute, brings together over 1,000 delegates from around the world to celebrate innovation, investment, and excellence in tourism. Malaysia’s recognition among the Best 100 Global Tourism Destinations underscores its rising influence and dedication to delivering unforgettable experiences for business and leisure travelers alike.

This year’s forum also welcomed prominent international participants such as Kubanychbek Omuraliyev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS); Sherif Fathi Attia, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt; Umid Shadiev, Chairman of the Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan; Abulfaz Garayev, Former Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan; Dimitris Avramopoulos, Member of the Hellenic Parliament and former EU Commissioner; Jean-Jacques Morin, Group Deputy CEO of Accor; Didier Mazenga Mukanzu, Minister of Tourism of the Democratic Republic of Congo; Shaikha Al Nowais, Secretary-General Elect of the United Nations Tourism; and Ozgul Ozkan Yavuz, Board Member of Turkish Airlines and former Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Türkiye (2019–2023).

As Malaysia looks ahead to 2026, this award serves as both a milestone and a motivation to continue elevating its tourism sector, embracing sustainability, and welcoming the world with the spirit of Malaysia Truly Asia.