Johor’s tourism strategy focuses on locals with discounted rates and facility upgrades, aiming to make them ambassadors for Visit Johor Year 2026
JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor government is prioritising local residents in its tourism development strategy to strengthen the industry sustainably.
Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (pic) said this approach ensures locals are the first to enjoy state-provided tourism facilities.
He cited the Johor Zoo’s differentiated ticket pricing as a clear example of this policy. Locals are charged RM10 for entry, while foreign tourists pay RM30.
The state is also upgrading facilities at major leisure locations like Taman Merdeka, the Royal Johor Botanical Gardens and Hutan Bandar.
“I want to emphasise to the Johor people that in terms of leisure, recreation, they are given priority first,” Onn Hafiz told Bernama. He added that many more tourism products will be launched this year.
The Menteri Besar made these comments in response to perceptions that the state is overly dependent on foreign tourists, particularly from Singapore.
He acknowledged the importance of international visitors but stressed the need for a balanced approach that emphasises domestic tourism.
“We are confident that when our own people are proud of our tourism products, they will become ‘third party validators’ to promote good things about this state,” he said.
This local-first strategy is aligned with the broader Visit Johor Year 2026 plan. The plan focuses on strengthening support for both domestic and international tourists.
Tourism products across districts are being upgraded as part of this push. This includes the Gunung Ledang Waterfall area in Tangkak and Kampung Sungai Melayu in Iskandar Puteri.
Both locations have significant potential as ecotourism destinations for visitors.
The state government has previously targeted RM42 billion in direct and indirect revenue from Visit Johor Year 2026. This target is based on attracting 12 million tourists throughout the year.
To support this goal, the state has allocated RM116.35 million for 2024 to 2025. These funds are for upgrading public facilities and enhancing tourism attractions and visitor experiences.
