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Malaysia is turning towards sustainable 'green' tourism.

From the Field: Greening tourism in Malaysia

© Unsplash/Nazarizal Mohammad
Malaysia is turning towards sustainable 'green' tourism.

From the Field: Greening tourism in Malaysia

Climate and Environment

When done well, tourism can serve as a sustainable cornerstone of a country’s economy, simultaneously supporting ecosystems and livelihoods, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

A school of fish gathers off Lang Tengah Island, Malaysia.
Coral Reef Image Bank/Yen-Yi Lee

In Malaysia, tourism is a major economic sector and generated over $18 billion in revenue in 2019.

After revenues plummeted by 72 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Malaysian authorities, with the help of UNDP’s sustainable tourism recovery project, looked to reinvigorate the industry by putting out a greener welcome mat for global visitors.

On World Tourism Day, marked annually on 27 September, find out how they did it here.