PENGERANG: In preparing for Visit Johor Year 2026, the state will be corporatising its tourism agency by the end of this year, says Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

He said Tourism Johor must be strengthened as the state aims to be the main tourism destination in Malaysia.

“During an audience with Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim recently, the matter of corporatising Tourism Johor was brought up.

“As part of the state government’s initiative to strengthen its tourism sector, Tourism Johor will undergo corporatisation within the next six months.

“By the end of this year, Tourism Johor should be fully corporatised,” he said at a hotel in Bandar Penawar here yesterday.

Onn Hafiz said corporatising a government-owned tourism agency is not new as similar moves had previously been taken by other state governments.

“By corporatising Tourism Johor, we will have the opportunity to employ individuals who have a strong tourism background,” he added.

Tourism Johor director Sharil Nizam Abdul Rahim said the move can help the agency expand its management scope.

“Corporatising Tourism Johor is good, which will lead to improving the way we operate as the management would be bigger and better.

“It will also be easy for us in the near future to collaborate with private bodies, both domestically and internationally, to bring in tourists into Johor,” he added.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/04/30/tourism-johor-to-be-corporatised-within-six-months