According to Malaysia’s Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, the introduction of direct flights between Malaysia and various Chinese cities is expected to help the country reach its targeted seven million Chinese tourist arrivals this year.
The increase in direct flights is expected to surpass the peak level in 2019, with the total number of flights between the two countries expected to rise.
As part of the strategy to reach the targeted seven million Chinese tourists, negotiations with several airlines have led to plans to launch a round-trip flight from Xi’an to Kuala Lumpur in March and a chartered flight from Urumqi to KL in May or July.
Increasing flight routes is seen as a key strategy to achieve the targeted number of Chinese tourists to Malaysia this year, with the potential for a higher number of flights than in 2019.
China has always been an important market for Malaysia’s tourism, and efforts are being made to expand opportunities in the industry. This includes promoting and supporting various tourism packages offered by local businesses, such as durian carnivals, fishing tours, golf and island tours, and medical tourism.
The ministry also hopes to promote durian orchard tours during the durian season and to promote fishing tours in Sabah and Sarawak. Medical tourism is also being actively promoted as a key tourism product, combining medical check-ups with vacation experiences.
The ministry is also targeting the Muslim tourism market, with plans to create a regional ‘Umrah Hub’ in Malaysia. Additionally, efforts are being made to develop Muslim-friendly tourism packages and foster cultural exchanges between Malaysian and Chinese-Muslim tourists.
It is hoped that these initiatives will attract 1.5 million Muslim tourists from China this year.
Following the introduction of a 30-day visa-free entry to Malaysia in December, there has been an increase in tourist arrivals from China and India. Malaysia aims to attract 30 million tourists this year, having reached its target of 26 million tourist arrivals last year.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is actively researching and engaging in discussions with Chinese officials about the possibility of a permanent mutual visa waiver for citizens of both Malaysia and China.
