ICCTE2023 brings together two states in Malaysia and one province in China, working together to create a new future for cultural and economic development.   

ICCTE2023, a two-day International Conference on Cultural Tourism and Education, jointly organized by the Malaysia-China Cultural Tourism Association and the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Heilongjiang Province, China, concluded successfully on March 31. The conference brought together 17 universities, over 30 corporates and organizations from Pahang and Selangor states in Malaysia and Heilongjiang Province in China for summit dialogues, cultural tourism cooperation discussions, and educational exchanges. The event resulted in productive collaborations, three tourism awards category which thirty awards were presented.

The Deputy Secretary General (Culture) of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, YBrs. Mohd Yusri bin Mohd Yusoff, witnessed the cultural, tourism and education exchange and cooperation between the two states of Malaysia and the Heilongjiang Province of China.

In the opening remark, the Deputy Director General of Tourism Malaysia, YBhg Datuk Musa Hj Yusof, mentioned the importance of using social media and digital platforms in the digital era to increase brand exposure and promotional effect, and to promote Malaysia's tourism industry actively. The ministry will launch "Visit Malaysia 2025" and expedite digital marketing efforts to boost national economic growth.

Li Shengbin, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Heilongjiang Province, said that China and Malaysia have maintained a good relationship for a long time, especially during the pandemic, which vividly reflects the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by President Xi Jinping. This conference built a platform for both sides to promote pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields, jointly promoting the development of the China-Malaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and making new and greater contributions to building a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.

At the opening ceremony, speeches were made by YB Leong Yu Man, Pahang State EXCO (Unity, Tourism and Culture), YB Hee Loy Sian, Selangor State EXCO (Tourism, Environment, Green Technology and Orang Asli Affairs), Gai Lixin, Deputy Director General of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province, and Ding Zhexue, Second-Ranked Counsel of the Department of Education of Heilongjiang Province. They introduced their respective resources and advantages and promoted their featured tourist destinations through videos.

 YB Lee Chin Chen, Deputy Speaker of Pahang State Assembly, and YB Ho Chi Yang, Pahang State Assemblyman (Tanah Rata), represented Pahang State in the Cultural and Tourism Cooperation Panel and exchanged ideas with Zhang Yawei, Director of Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province, exploring future collaboration opportunities.

The president of the Malaysia-China Cultural Tourism Association, Natalie Chan Shei Tyng, stated that the ICCTE2023 Tourism Awards aim to recognize the departments, organizations, and companies that have demonstrated outstanding performance in green tourism and cultural tourism. Additionally, the Excellence Tourism Education Contribution Award is a recognition of the outstanding and selfless contributions of Malaysian and Chinese Heilongjiang province cultural and tourism education institutions.

The supporter of ICCTE2023 include Tourism Malaysia, Tourism Pahang, Tourism Selangor, Department of Culture and Tourism of Heilongjiang Province, Department of Education of Heilongjiang Province, Cyberview and sponsored by ECI Higher Education Sdn Bhd.