Tourism Malaysia, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has launched the much awaited Edu + programme. The programme aims to attract foreign students, especially those below 16 years old, with tourist visas for a short educational tourism journey while experiencing Malaysia.
Developed by the National Association of Private Educational Institutions (NAPEI), an organization that boasts more than 36 years of experience, Edu+ exemplifies this fusion of tourism and education against the energetic cultural backdrop of Malaysia with its unique learning possibilities.
Deputy Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan said there is immense scope for Malaysia in this fast-growing tourism sector. "With our wealth of diversity, history, arts, and culture, Malaysia has immense potential to tap into Edu+ to attract young visitors keen on discovering our unique offerings," he said. The ministry estimates 10,000 students will join the programme this year and potentially RM50 million in revenue would be generated.
This will complement the bigger Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign with its targets of 23.5 million tourist arrivals and RM147.1 billion in tourism receipts. The Edu+ program is expected to help put Malaysia's tourism goals on top as well as cement its standing as a destination of choice in the region.
Edu+ fosters cross-cultural interaction, educational advancement, and tourism opportunities that make Malaysia a quality learning destination, besides strengthening international solidarity through foreign student exchange. The program is primarily set to target the Japanese market as well as possibly be expanded to other emerging markets in the future, such as Korea, China, Russia, and Vietnam.
One of the major attractions being offered under the program is teaching English in Malaysia's schools and higher education institutions.
