Malaysia Airlines, in collaboration with the Sabah Tourism Board, has strengthened its global tourism and aviation partnerships through the successful hosting of its flagship Trade Elevation Summit (TES) 2026 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. The event brought together international tourism boards, travel trade partners, aviation leaders, hospitality stakeholders, and industry decision-makers from across global markets.
Recognised as one of Malaysia’s largest airline-led travel trade events, TES 2026 welcomed more than 300 delegates from over 60 cities worldwide, creating a major platform for tourism networking, strategic collaboration, destination promotion, and business engagement ahead of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.
The multi-day summit showcased Sabah’s tourism offerings through curated experiences highlighting the destination’s natural beauty, adventure tourism, hospitality, cultural heritage, and experiential travel opportunities. Delegates participated in island activities, sunset cruises, golf networking sessions, hiking experiences, and local culinary showcases designed to strengthen destination awareness and tourism engagement.
Senior leadership from Malaysia Aviation Group also shared strategic tourism and connectivity updates with global travel trade partners during the summit, reinforcing Malaysia Airlines’ long-term focus on strengthening international tourism collaboration and expanding regional connectivity.
Industry experts believe the initiative reflects Malaysia’s growing emphasis on tourism-led partnerships, destination marketing, and aviation-driven tourism growth as the country prepares for increased international visitor movement under Visit Malaysia 2026.
