Desa Kirana is a strategic initiative or game changer introduced by the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) in 2025 to revitalise existing rural tourism with a more sustainable, inclusive, and value-added approach. This program serves as KKDW’s preparation for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (TMM 2026), emphasizing five (5) key tourism elements — heritage and culture, natural attractions, local gastronomy, traditional products, and authentic rural lifestyle experiences.

Through this program, KKDW packages existing rural tourism attractions with potential into a comprehensive tourism experience. This approach allows all categories of tourists to enjoy these attractions in an integrated way when visiting Desa Kirana locations. The program also acts as a platform for rural communities to become key players in the tourism sector, thereby generating income for the local economy.

Desa Kirana offers opportunities for all types of tourists, including digital nomads to experience the authentic Malaysian village lifestyle, such as staying at homestays, participating in agro-tourism and eco-tourism activities, river cruising, hiking hills or mountains, learning to cook traditional dishes, crafting local handicrafts, and immersing in local culture.

The first phase of implementation will begin in 2025, KKDW has identified 25 locations from villages previously recognized under KKDW’s and its agencies’ programs, including those under FELDA’s supervision. These include the MADANI Village Award, Sustainable Village Program, Prosperous Village Award, Anugerah Keceriaan Kampung FELDA, and others.

To strengthen the implementation mechanism of Desa Kirana, capacity-building training programs will be conducted by the Institute for Rural Advancement (INFRA), particularly for homestay operators. In addition, infrastructure upgrades will be carried out based on each location’s needs, alongside the optimal use of existing facilities such as the Pusat Komuniti Desa (PKD), community halls, and others. E-commerce platforms such as Desamall will also be utilized for promoting tourism packages and handling customer bookings.

As a symbolic beginning of Desa Kirana, the official launch ceremony was held on 26 June 2025, officiated by YAB Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development. The ceremony marked KKDW’s strong commitment to strengthening rural tourism as a catalyst for the rural economy.