KUALA LANGAT, July 18 – The Selangor Grand Slam Pickleball 2026 has the potential to position Selangor as a leading sports tourism destination by creating a dynamic, inclusive and high-impact tourism ecosystem ahead of Visit Selangor Year 2026.
Tourism Selangor chief executive officer Chua Yee Ling said destinations can no longer rely solely on conventional tourism products, and instead offer fresh and engaging experiences that cater to diverse visitor segments.
Chua said pickleball presents an opportunity to diversify Selangor's tourism offerings, as the sport continues to gain momentum as one of the fastest-growing sporting trends worldwide.
“This sport has successfully transcended barriers of age, background and skill level, creating an active, progressive and inclusive community.
“It is this potential that provides Selangor with the opportunity to explore new dimensions in the development of sports tourism,” she said when officiating the tournament.
Chua said the tournament, organised in collaboration with the Kuala Langat Municipal Council (MPKL), Bateriku and Ancubic Group, also helped attract more visitors to the state, contributing to local economic growth.
She said the programme demonstrated Selangor’s potential to emerge as a leading hub for high profile sporting events in Malaysia, supported by its various competitive advantages.
“With complete infrastructure, extensive connectivity, world-class facilities and strong support from all sectors, Selangor is well-positioned to attract more high-impact events.
“Tourism Selangor believes that tourism and sports are complementary sectors that can drive economic growth while creating new investment opportunities,” she said.
In April, state executive councillor for local government and tourism Dato’ Ng Suee Lim expressed confidence that Selangor could achieve its target of nine million visitors in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year and Visit Selangor Year 2026.
He said that despite uncertainties arising from the West Asia conflict, proactive measures had been put in place to ensure the tourism sector remains resilient, including shifting promotional efforts towards Asian markets such as Japan, China, Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries.
Additionally, Selangor has intensified efforts to attract visitors from Australia as part of its strategy to diversify tourist arrivals and reduce reliance on affected markets.
