MELAKA: Malaysia is ramping up investment in sustainable aviation to decarbonise travel while creating new industries and jobs, says Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the country’s first biomass-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility is slated for 2027, a step forward for greener travel and a catalyst for high-value employment.
“The elephant in the room is tourism emissions, especially from aviation, which accounts for half of the sector’s direct emissions.
“No country can shift an industry of this scale alone, so multilateral cooperation is crucial for a sustainable future,” he said when reading Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s keynote address at the opening of World Tourism Day (WTD) 2025 and the seventh World Tourism Conference (WTC) 2025 at a hotel in Taman Melaka Raya here on Saturday (Sept 27).
Also present were Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
In June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) projected SAF output to roughly double to two million tonnes this year, still just 0.7% of airlines’ total fuel use.
With fuel forming the bulk of aviation emissions, SAF made from sustainable resources such as waste oils and agricultural residues remains a key decarbonisation tool.
Fadillah, who represented Anwar at the event, said Malaysia’s tourism strategy places environmental stewardship at its core.
“As one of the world’s 12 megadiverse nations, Malaysia is home to over 15,000 plant species and 175,000 species of fauna
“We must protect rainforests, mangroves and coral reefs not only as a national duty but a global responsibility”, he said, adding that healthy ecosystems become “natural magnets for tourists” while sustaining local livelihoods.
He highlighted Mersing, Johor, as proof of concept as once a humble fishing village, it is now a pioneer of sustainable coastal tourism and on track to host Malaysia’s first UN Tourism-recognised sustainable tourism observatory under the International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories.
He said nature-based tourism is among the high-value segments Malaysia is prioritising, alongside adventure travel, Muslim-friendly services, medical and wellness offerings, educational journeys, business events and digital-nomad hub.
“The backbone of our plan is to grow meaningfully, sustainably and with resilience” he added.
Meanwhile, Tiong, in his address, warned that the sector must confront hard truths and deliver measurable outcomes.
“This cannot be another feel-good meeting where we shake hands, make statements and return a year later to the same unresolved issues and call it ‘progress’.
“The WTD and WTC 2025 must break from old approaches. We cannot rely on yesterday’s methods to solve today’s problems.
“Innovation is no longer a luxury but it’s a necessity,” he said.
He said global tourism faces mounting pressures, among others, over-tourism strains fragile sites, inequality limits local benefits and competitiveness now hinges on real change.
Tiong said solutions are already taking shape at home.
In Sabah, he said the Miso Walai Homestay safeguards rainforest ecosystems while supporting over 350 families.
“Penang’s habitat reinvests tourism receipts into conservation and training, while the Penang Heritage Trust protects living heritage.
“Mersing’s upcoming UN-recognised observatory will add data-driven oversight to coastal sustainability efforts,” he said.
Tiong said to track progress nationally, his ministry with the Statistics Department is piloting UN Tourism’s sustainability indicators (MST) with plans to embed them in the Tourism Satellite Account.
He encouraged businesses to adopt international benchmarks such as GSTC, ESG, B-Corp and INSTO participation, noting that five Malaysian hotels received Asean Green Hotel Awards this year.
“Growth alone is no longer enough. We must protect ecosystems, ease congestion, spread visitor flows and ensure value stays with local communities. Sustainable, inclusive transformation is not optional but essential,” he added.
