Tourism Malaysia has partnered with OPPO Malaysia to promote the country through smartphone photography, digital storytelling and joint travel campaigns. The collaboration supports Visit Malaysia 2026–2027, with ambitions to encourage destination discovery, longer stays and greater visitor spending.
The organisations formalised the agreement during a signing ceremony at Hilton Kuala Lumpur. Tourism Malaysia’s Deputy Director General for Promotions, Mohd Akbal Setia, signed alongside OPPO Malaysia Marketing Director Monica Qin.
The partnership combines destination promotion with mobile imaging technology. Its central aim is to inspire travellers through images of Malaysia’s landscapes, cultural heritage and varied visitor experiences.
Mobile Photography Shapes Destination Campaigns
Under the collaboration, Tourism Malaysia and OPPO Malaysia plan joint marketing campaigns and tourism activities built around creative mobile photography. Visitors will be encouraged to explore attractions, capture their journeys and share those experiences through digital platforms.
The approach gives visual storytelling a prominent role in destination marketing. Photographs can introduce prospective visitors to places, food and cultural experiences they may subsequently include in their itineraries.
For Tourism Malaysia, the opportunity extends beyond promoting familiar attractions. The collaboration also offers a way to draw attention to destinations that receive less international exposure.
However, greater online visibility remains a promotional objective. The agreement does not establish how many additional bookings, arrivals or overnight stays the campaigns will generate.
Kelantan Builds on Earlier Collaboration
The new partnership follows a Strategic Communication Programme in Kelantan involving 15 participants from OPPO Malaysia. Mohd Akbal identified that earlier activity as a foundation for continued cooperation.
He highlighted the creativity of photographers and the value of imagery in presenting Malaysia’s distinctive destinations. The expanded collaboration brings that approach into a wider tourism promotion framework.
Kelantan features prominently in the destination narrative. Its cultural heritage, traditional arts and local cuisine offer subjects for photography and travel storytelling.
Nasi Kerabu and other traditional delicacies form part of that appeal. Food-focused content can help prospective visitors connect a destination with experiences beyond its best-known landmarks.
For local tourism businesses, such exposure creates an opportunity to reach travellers interested in culture and gastronomy.
Kota Bharu Connections Support Regional Access
Mohd Akbal also pointed to direct flights connecting Singapore and Jakarta with Kota Bharu. He described those links as an opportunity to introduce more regional visitors to Kelantan.
Air access and destination promotion can work together when travellers translate interest into a practical itinerary. A campaign may inspire discovery, while available transport determines how conveniently visitors can reach the destination.
Nevertheless, the partnership announcement provides no flight frequencies or operating schedules. Travellers considering Kelantan should assess available services against their intended dates.
For tourism operators, the promotional focus offers a reason to highlight experiences accessible through Kota Bharu. The eventual commercial benefit will depend on demand and completed visits.
OPPO Focuses on Images and Creator Talent
Monica Qin emphasised imagery as a way to communicate Malaysia’s stories. She also recognised photographers and content creators using OPPO’s Find Series to capture unexpected perspectives.
Her comments position the collaboration around creative interpretation rather than technology alone. The intended appeal comes from what travellers and creators choose to photograph.
That can include a landscape, a traditional dish or a moment within a cultural experience. Together, these subjects help present Malaysia as a collection of experiences worth exploring.
The partnership therefore gives creators a role in shaping destination visibility. Its effectiveness will depend partly on whether those images connect with prospective travellers.
Visit Malaysia Campaign Continues Into 2027
The collaboration supports Malaysia’s decision to extend its Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign into 2027. The longer promotional period provides further opportunities to showcase destinations and engage overseas audiences.
Between January and August 2026, Malaysia recorded 28.8 million international visitor arrivals. The reported increase was 1.8% compared with approximately 28.2 million during the corresponding period in 2025.
Those figures provide context for the partnership’s growth ambitions. However, they precede the outcomes of the newly announced activities and cannot demonstrate their effectiveness.
Tourism Malaysia and OPPO aim to build on that visitor base through coordinated campaigns. Encouraging travellers to explore more places could also broaden opportunities for hospitality businesses and local experience providers.
Local Benefits Depend on Visitor Engagement
The partnership’s tourism goals extend from attracting attention to encouraging longer stays and higher spending. Achieving them will require visitors to turn digital inspiration into travel decisions.
For destinations, compelling imagery can support discovery. Hotels, restaurants, attractions and guides can benefit when that interest becomes booked experiences and local purchases.
Tourism Malaysia also intends to strengthen cooperation with technology companies as part of its wider digital development efforts. The OPPO agreement provides a platform for that direction through photography, creative campaigns and destination storytelling.
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