KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) will strive to secure allocations to help state governments upgrade existing tourist destinations and develop new locations to attract more tourists.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, said the move was important as tourists are always looking for new and interesting destinations, adding that some states have many potential locations that could be developed but face funding constraints.

“Let all the states work together to attract more tourists to come and travel to our respective states. We must work on allocations for the states,” he said when speaking at the opening ceremony of the Malaysia Cultural Festival (FBM) 2026 – ‘WOW Malaysia’ here last night.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Chiew Choon Man and MOTAC secretary-general Datuk Shaharuddin Abu Sohot.

Tiong said the six-day FBM, which runs until Wednesday at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, features various events, including traditional arts performances, cultural exhibitions and the uniqueness of heritage from across the country, including Sabah and Sarawak.

He said the festival, organised by MOTAC alongside agencies, strategic partners, as well as arts and cultural practitioners, is a programme that celebrates the beauty of the arts, cultural richness and the nation’s heritage treasures.

According to Tiong, the organisation of FBM at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa and Johor Bahru last year, as well as in Ipoh, Perak recently, attracted 772,192 visitors and generated a return on investment (ROI) of RM56.5 million, proving the immense potential of the festival in promoting Malaysia’s arts, culture, heritage and tourism.

“Through this festival, economic opportunities are also created for the people, from local food operators and transport drivers to arts practitioners, small entrepreneurs and craft artisans.

“This is the true value we wish to bring through tourism and culture, a growth whose benefits can be felt by the people,” he said.

He said the festival also serves as a platform to introduce Malaysia’s cultural diversity to tourists in conjunction with the Visit Malaysia Year 2026-2027 (VM2026-2027) campaign, besides encouraging the people to welcome visitors with the ‘Mesra Malaysia’ spirit, maintain cleanliness and become ambassadors for the country.

“May this festival continue to be a platform that unites the people, ignites the love for arts, culture and heritage, as well as opens up more opportunities for arts practitioners, local communities and tourism industry players.

“More importantly, our efforts continue to strengthen the position of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia as a unique, competitive and world-class cultural tourism destination,” he said. — Bernama