tourism industry in malaysia 2023

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Malaysia Tourism Market

Malaysia Tourism Market by Direct Suppliers, Indirect Suppliers, Number of Bookings, Activity Type, Demographic, Tourism Type, Booking Channel, Tour Type & Region | Forecast 2023 to 2033

Market Insights on Malaysia Tourism covering sales outlook, demand forecast and up-to-date key trends

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Malaysia Tourism Market Overview (2023 to 2033)

As per the latest findings of Future Market Insights, Malaysia tourism revenue is expected to be US$ 2,853.9 Million by the end of 2023. In the long-term, the Malaysia tourism is estimated to reach at around US$ 9,350.3 Million in 2033.

Quality accommodation and transport is also better which is attracting more and more tourists every years. This is the precise reason for the growth in Malaysia market. Another factor which is driving growth of tourism is the Malaysian government’s unending effort in targeting global elites who are from the high income group.

The project of developing 15 projects including Malaysia Eye, International Fashion Street, Sunset Beach, and Cruse Shopping Gallery is creating curiosity among tourists and is therefore leading to a robust development in the growth of Malaysian tourism. Medical tourism is one of the important factors that is boosting the tourism industry in Malaysia.

Liberalization of some government controlled sectors, development of more tourism destinations, and increased involvement of the private sector are some of the key measure that will improve Malaysia tourism performance in the future. The Malaysian government is making its tourism industry more attractive. More skilled personnel will be required to manage government function in future.

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2018 to 2022 Malaysia Tourism Market Outlook Compared to 2023 to 2033 Forecast

As per the latest update by Future Market Insights, the Malaysia tourism market is forecast to increase at a prolific CAGR of 12.6% between 2023 and 2033. Over the last few decades, tourism industry has become a significant contributor to the GDP of Malaysia. Having a rich cultural history, diverse local lifestyle and beautiful natural landmarks, Malaysia has turned into one of the most popular tourist destinations. Today, with the worldwide campaign called ‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’ this small country is generating extra revenue through tourism to contribute towards the development of its economy.

However, being one of the hardest hit sectors due to the covid19 pandemic, this industry has only now started to recover. In response, the National Tourism Policy 2020-2030 was launched by the government to ensure the continuity of the country’s tourism industry while also targeting to make Malaysia one of the top 10 global tourist destinations. This long term strategy is divided into 6 main strategic thrusts such as strengthening governance capacity, creating special tourist investment zones to encourage technology oriented tourism investment, practicing sustainable & responsible tourism and embracing smart tourism.

What are the Key Trends Boosting the Malaysia Tourism Market?

Malaysia is Rapidly Expanding its Base in Medical Tourism

Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, a government agency, is actively working on revamping Malaysia as a medical tourism destination. A positive growth has only been possible by boosting the healthcare quality, focusing on patient experience and ensuring affordable services while following proper protocols.

Promoting Malaysia as the next ‘Top of the Mind Ecotourism Destination in the World’ under The National Tourism Policy 2020-2030

Good governance requires a balance between development, protection and preservation of the country’s treasures including the environment, culture and heritage. The National Tourism Policy is therefore trying to incorporate elements of the sustainable development goals and enhancing tourism’s role in promoting inclusive development along with responsible consumption practices. This will consequently make Malaysia a more preferred destination amongst an environmentally conscious generation.

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What are the Key Factors Affecting Malaysia Tourism Adversely?

Struggling to Adapt to the Post Pandemic World

Malaysia opened its international borders and lifted all travel restrictions to enter the post pandemic world. Despite the increasing number of travelers, Malaysia continues to struggle due to lack of airline tickets and hotel rooms since a lot of sub sectors of tourism industry had to downsize during nationwide lockdowns. Additionally, a large proportion of people who lost their jobs are believed to have found alternate sources of employment thereby making the industry understaffed. This poses a direct threat to the resurgence of tourism sector.

Facing Intense Competition in Regional Market

Regional markets such as South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia are few of the destinations that are chosen as an alternative to Malaysia. Even developing Asian countries are slowly becoming tourist hotspots.

Category-wise Insights

Which age group is more likely to travel overseas.

Middle-Aged Travellers are most likely to Travel Overseas

People between the age group of 25-39 make up the largest percentage of international tourists in Malaysia.

These travelers belong to the working population who are situated across the globe and have the spending capacity as well as good health to take overseas tours. Tourists from this age group are mostly independent travelers who plan their trip on their own to various new destinations. Additionally, the vast number of beautiful islands makes Malaysia a favorable destination for young couples who also belong to the same age group. The various promotional activities on social media platforms are attracting tourists across this age group and is forecast to display same trend over the forecast period.

Which Tour Type will have the Maximum Number of Travelers during the Forecast Period?

There will be a Surge in the Number of Independent Travellers

In the last few years there have been rapid technological advancements due to which a large number of people have become quite comfortable with emerging technologies and are well equipped to adapt to change. Consequently, this has led to an increase in the number of independent travellers and is forecast to only increase further.

Which Booking Channel is preferred by Tourists in the Market?

Online Booking Channels Lead the Booking Channel Segmentation

Tourists enjoy taking holidays, but for many, planning the trip is also a big part of that enjoyment. It usually takes a lot of time and effort to research and make a decision before purchasing travel tickets, accommodations, tours, or any other supplementary services or modes of transportation. However, the existence of online travel agencies has unquestionably both sped up the procedure and offered clients access to more choices.

People who book their vacations online prefer to compare travel on booking portals and hotel websites. Offline, however, arranging a trip is carried out with the aid of a travel company or a tour operator. The "Hashtag Generation," which includes Millennials and Generation Z, is more likely to try new things and seek out new experiences.

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Competitive Landscape

There are many suppliers who are assuring a safe and affordable travel experience, which has made travel and tourism possible and at ease. Top tour operators offer fascinating and distinctive travel packages around Europe, America, Asia, and the Middle East, providing smooth and simplified travel experience for both straightforward and difficult excursions.

Leading travel agencies like Agoda and booking.com have also managed to gain a major market share by making it convenient for the travelers to safely book at the best prices

Scope of Report

Malaysia tourism market by category, by direct suppliers:.

• Hotel Companies
• Tour Operators
• Government Bodies

By Indirect Suppliers:

• OTA (Online Travel Agency)
• Traditional Travel Agencies
• TMC's( Travel Management Companies)
• Corporate Buyers
• Aggregators

By Number of Bookings:

By activity type:.

• Cultural & Heritage
• Eco/sustainable

By Demographic:

By tourism type:.

• International

By Booking Channel:

• Phone Booking
• Online Booking
• In Person Booking

By Tour Type:

• Individual Travel
• Professional Groups
• Group travels

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the projected cagr of the malaysia tourism market.

The market is projected to record a CAGR of the 12.6% through 2033.

How Big Will the Projected Malaysia Tourism Market by 2033?

The market is expected to reach US$ 9,350.3 million by 2033.

What is the Current Market Valuation of the Malaysia Tourism Market?

The market is estimated to secure a valuation of US$ 2,853.9 million in 2023.

Which Region Holds a Significant Share of the Malaysia Tourism Market?

Asia Pacific holds a significant share of the Malaysia tourism market.

What Key Trends are Boosting the Market in Malaysia?

Expanding medical tourism is the key trend in the market.

Table of Content

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How Tourism Malaysia is building back the sector in the post-Covid era

Sunday, 23 Jul 2023

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Dr Ammar: 'With careful planning, ongoing efforts, and the gradual reopening of borders, we remain optimistic about the recovery and growth of tourism in Malaysia.' — MUHAMAD SHAHRIL ROSLI/The Star

FESTIVALS, endurance sports, food trails, hiking and heritage tours.

These are among the products that the government is banking on to bring the buzz back to the Malaysian tourism industry after Covid-19 lockdowns nearly decimated it says newly appointed Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar.

“According to the World Tourism Organisation, the global tourism sector is showing signs of recovery in 2023,” Ammar tells The Star in an interview recently.

“In the first quarter of 2023, international arrivals reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels, with an estimated 235 million tourists travelling internationally. This figure more than doubled compared to the same period in 2022, indicating a resilient rebound.

“As for Malaysia, we are forecasting a gradual return to pre-pandemic numbers.”

Ammar estimates that the number of international visitors could return to pre-Covid 19 levels by 2025, when arrivals are projected to reach 23.5 million, while total receipts are expected to hit RM76.8 billion.

In 2019, before Covid-19 shut down all travel, Malaysia received 26.1 million international visitors who brought in RM86.1 billion in revenue, according to Tourism Malaysia statistics.

For this year, after the last of the pandemic era travel restrictions were lifted in China, Malaysia aims to attract 16.1 million international tourists that are expected to bring in RM49.2 billion in receipts.

About 4.5 million international arrivals were logged during the first quarter of this year and if the same number is maintained for each consecutive quarter, Ammar is hopeful of reaching the agency’s target.

“If we are able to maintain the same number, we will get 18 million by the end of the year. And we are not factoring the travel that happens in July and August, which is the summer season for Europeans and the year-end holiday breaks.”

Selling Malaysia’s tourism gems

As a marketing agency, one of the main tools that Tourism Malaysia is using to achieve these goals is overseas promotions where it has planned and participated in more than 100 events.

The agency kicked these off sales missions to Hong Kong and Taiwan in January, followed by Nordic countries including Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Events were also held in the Indian cities of Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

It has also participated in global tourism fairs including FITUR 2023 Spain, ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Indonesia; the Nguyen Hu Flower Street Festival in Vietnam; 16th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition (TITEX) in Iran and South Asia’s Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) 2023 in India.

The agency also promoted Malaysia at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2023 in Dubai; the Seoul International Travel Fair (SITF) 2023 in Korea.

“We also led sales missions to Bahrain and Kuwait to capitalise on the continuing growth of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries,” Ammar says.

Besides these on-the-ground events, the agency has invested heavily in advertisements and digital content on some of the world’s top television channels.

One example is a collaboration with Discovery Network in producing the You, Me & Malaysia travelogue series that will be broadcasted on TLC & Discovery Channel in India, Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries.

An ad campaign called the “The Soul of Malaysia”, is currently being aired on several British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) networks in the Asia Pacific, Europe, South Asia and Middle East markets.

“With local friendliness, decent cost of living, quality of local medical care, rich cultural heritage and unique natural attractions alongside fascinating local arts, history and cuisine, we believe Malaysia’s tourism industry has strong competitiveness and unique selling points”.

Helping hand up for tourism operators

A critical part of these sales missions is to bring along as many Malaysian tourism operators who can then market their products to the international market, Ammar says.

As it is expensive to attend these overseas sales missions, the government subsidises about half of the cost for local operators through the Galakan Melancong (GAMELAN) Malaysia initiative.

For instance, when Tourism Malaysian mounts a sales mission abroad the number of hoteliers, product owners and tour agencies that are able to come along is small due to the high cost of the trip, says Ammar.

“This subsidy helps more of them to join us and during the sales mission we create business-to-business sessions where the Malaysian company sells their products to firms in the host country”.

“Without the subsidy we will only get about five Malaysian tourism companies to 50 foreign companies which is an imbalance,” he says.

In order to further help local players build back after two years of lockdown, the government is also giving out grants for them to organise events such as concerts, sports competitions and food fairs that encourage travel.

Under the Tourism Sector Support Grant scheme (GSSP), RM500,000 and RM1 million are given out for domestic and international events, respectively.

“When we used to have just Tourism Malaysia or the ministry creating an event, we would have about 20 per year. But now we expect to have more because the private sector is also organising the events aimed at bringing visitors in”.

Ammar expects the grant to double the amount of events this year and proposals have included cultural festivals, concerts, food carnivals, football clinics, yachting and golf tournaments.

“With careful planning, ongoing efforts, and the gradual reopening of borders, we remain optimistic about the recovery and growth of tourism in Malaysia”.

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Malaysia’s tourism recovery flops as Thailand, Indonesia cash in

Malaysia is struggling to bring back tourists compared with its Southeast Asian peers after scrapping pandemic curbs.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – For Arthur Wilkinson, a Penang-born entrepreneur who opened Malaysia’s first flotation therapy centre on his tropical island home, nearly two years without tourists marked the end of the road.

Float For Health, located in Tanjung Tokong, a coastal township on the northeastern side of Penang island, shut up shop for good in January 2021 as border restrictions introduced to keep out COVID-19 reduced customers to a trickle.

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“Eighty percent of my customers were tourists, and at that time, anyone working in this industry suffered for obvious reasons,” Wilkinson, who also runs the restaurant Heap Seng at 29 in George Town, told Al Jazeera.

Malaysia reopened its borders to tourists in April, before dropping all vaccination and PCR-test requirements in August.

But nearly a year since hailing the return of international visitors, Malaysia’s tourism sector is not only struggling but playing catchup to its Southeast Asian peers.

Malaysia welcomed about 3 million visitors in 2022, up from 134,728 visitors the previous year, according to Tourism Malaysia. The intake was just about 12 percent of the number that arrived in 2019.

Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia — which welcomed 10 million, 4.6 million and 4.58 million visitors, respectively — saw arrivals return to about one-quarter of pre-pandemic levels.

Vietnam’s 3.6 million foreign visitors, although short of the government’s target, was about one-fifth of its intake in 2019.

Tourist industry figures have offered a range of explanations for Malaysia’s weak rebound from the pandemic compared with its neighbours, from poor cost competitiveness to the country’s reputation as a buttoned-up, predominantly Islamic society. Tourism Malaysia declined to comment.

Earlier this month, the Malaysian Islamic Party-backed state government in Kedah, home to the popular duty-free resort island Langkawi, caused jitters in the tourism sector when it floated a possible ban on alcohol sales.

Kedah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md later clarified that the sale of alcohol in Langkawi is under the jurisdiction of the Finance Ministry, not the state government, and the state government had no authority to interfere with the tourist island’s duty-free status.

Malaysia already has some of the world’s highest alcohol taxes and imposes harsh punishments for drug offences, including the death penalty for trafficking.

Neighbouring Thailand, meanwhile, has built on its reputation for having a tolerant attitude towards vices, decriminalising cannabis in June 2022.

“From mid-December to mid-March, I used to have 80-90 percent of clients from Europe, and now I only have about 60 percent,” Anthony Wong, owner of Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa, one of the island’s oldest eco-resorts, told Al Jazeera.

“Flights to Malaysia from Europe are less [frequent] and more expensive, and Langkawi is not as cheap as its neighbours, especially the accommodation. … Europe is also going into recession, with inflation going up, and issues related to the ongoing war in Ukraine make it more challenging for them to spend money on travelling,” Wong said.

Wilkinson, who relocated his flotation therapy business to Indonesia’s Bali to take advantage of the higher tourist numbers and what he said was more dependable labour, said Malaysia could not afford to be complacent about its attractiveness to foreign visitors.

“We need to stimulate tourism somehow before it’s too late, as Malaysia is losing massively to Thailand and Indonesia,” he said.

“Even though Malaysia has a much wider variety of cuisines, our food and beverage scene and quality isn’t quite up to par compared to our neighbours, which also have lower alcohol tax and are more open to new ideas of tourism.”

Fabio Delisi, manager of Kuala Lumpur-based inbound tour operator Lotus Asia Tours, said he believes Malaysia’s potential has been held back by lacklustre promotion and relatively poor connectivity compared with other parts of the region.

“Malaysia does not lack attractions, especially natural ones. Tourism development suffers from inconsistent policies and promotional activities over the past decades,” Delisi, who has more than 30 years of experience in tourism across the region, told Al Jazeera. “Tourism is a very long-term public relation exercise.”

Delisi, whose company also operates in Indonesia and Singapore, said Malaysia’s fortunes have stood in stark contrast to those of Indonesia.

“We are wholesalers operating in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore since the early nineties, and in 2022 have experienced a decline of arrivals of up to 90 percent from our main Western markets into Malaysia, while we have seen double-digit growth in Indonesia for the same period,” he said.

In East Malaysia, which is separated from Peninsular Malaysia by the South China Sea, there are signs that tourism is rebounding much faster.

Operators there have benefitted from a niche market of high-spending Westerners seeking out tropical adventures in Malaysia’s eastern states on the island of Borneo, which is renowned for its wildlife and unspoiled nature.

“We hit the same revenue as 2019 last year despite it being an eight-month operation,” Jessica Yew, director of boutique tour company Sticky Rice Travel, which has its headquarters in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah state, told Al Jazeera.

“It’s mostly because of our market segment. [We cater to the] high-end/deluxe US market — the pandemic had little to no effect on their finances, and they were just waiting for the border to reopen. Europeans and British inquiries trickle in, but closing the sale for these is harder.”

For those with less to spend, travel and accommodation costs in Borneo, which are at their highest in years, could be off-putting.

“Most lodges and transport providers introduced a hike of up to 20 percent, while government agencies such as Sabah Parks doubled the price of some permits and entrances,” Yew said.

The higher prices include permits to climb Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s highest peak standing at 4,095 metres (13,435 feet), which this month doubled from 200 ringgit to 400 ringgit ($46 to $92).

When added to the costs of guides, food, and accommodation, the cheapest packages to tackle the summit come to about $550 per person.

While Sabah is generally cheap outside conservation areas, only some of the state’s protected parks are promoted by authorities as the main selling points for visitors.

“I tell people to go to Sumatra [in Indonesia] to see orangutans, as it costs one-third to one-fifth of Malaysian Borneo’s prices,” Yew said.

For many other operators, the return of Chinese and South Korean visitors, the biggest cohort of visitors to Sabah before the pandemic, will be crucial to their fortunes in the coming year.

Businesses, in particular, are keeping a close watch on China’s reopening of its borders last week after three years of international isolation.

Still, some within the sector are sceptical of any quick fix to the sector’s struggles.

“We are paying the price for more than twenty years of random policies without focus and continuity,” said Delisi of Lotus Asia Tours.

“Despite the effort of a number of good technocrats, without a framed, coordinated and consistent strategy, I don’t see how things may change or improve soon.”

Budget 2023 – Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH)

BUDGET 2023 – MALAYSIAN ASSOCIATION OF HOTELS (MAH)

Firstly, MAH appreciates that during the tabling of the budget, the government acknowledges that the tourism industry is one of the most affected economic sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2020, the tourism industry employs over 3.46 million people. Whilst we have seen an uptick in tourist arrivals, as of July 2022, Malaysia recorded only 3.2 million tourist arrivals with tourism receipts of RM9.4 billion for the year 2022; a far cry from prepandemic numbers of 26 million tourist arrivals with tourism receipts of over RM86.1 billion for the year 2019.

For the year 2023, the government targets to attract 15 million tourists with tourism receipts of RM47.6 billion.

On this note, MAH strongly believes that the allocation of RM200 million in the budget to aid the recovery of the tourism industry is insufficient as it is less than 0.5% of the targeted tourism receipts of RM47.6 billion for 2023.

MAH also believes that more can be done to support the recovery of the hotel sector and hope the government would consider the following proposals:-

• To extend the personal tax relief for domestic travel for 2023.
• To provide discount in assessment rate and quit rent for 2023.
• To re-introduce wage subsidy program for 2023.
• To provide discount for utilities such as electricity and water.
• To regulate the home-sharing industry such as Airbnb so as to provide a level playing field for all industry players.

Finally, at MAH, we laud the effort of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture for its active engagement with all stakeholders to ensure the recovery and success of the tourism industry in Malaysia.

Christina Toh

Malaysian Association of Hotels.

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Tourism Malaysia kicks off its 2023 sales mission and roadshow to People’s Republic of China

For the year 2023, Malaysia is targeting 16.1 million international tourist arrivals with RM49.2 billion in tourism receipts.

BEIJING – The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) through its agency, Tourism Malaysia have embarked their first sales mission and roadshow to major cities in China from 29 March to 15 April 2023. The sales mission takes place in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangxi while the roadshow begins in Guangzhou, followed by Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen.

The mission is headed by Dato Sri Tiong King Sing , Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture together with 68 organisations comprising state governments namely Tourism Terengganu, Tourism Selangor, Sabah Tourism Board, Sarawak Tourism Board , and participating agencies such as Malaysia Health Tourism Council (MHTC), Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) as well as other industry players from Malaysian Inbound Chinese Association (MICA), Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) and product owners.

The main objective of this mission is to strengthen marketing efforts and raise Malaysia’s profile for China Market after the reopening of China market beginning 6 February 2023 and also to highlight Malaysia’s projection in organising Visit Malaysia 2025. For the year 2023, Malaysia is targeting 16.1 million international tourist arrivals with RM49.2 billion in tourism receipts.

Alongside the mission, seminars are held by Tourism Malaysia, focusing on leisure market, niche market namely Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) and medical tourism. Business matching sessions are also organised throughout the cities to give the platform for Malaysian industry players to reconnect with China given the long hiatus since the Covid-19 outbreak.

“China is a vital market for Malaysia and we are grateful to be included in their list of 20 countries to visit. Our presence here today is a testament to our commitment to strengthening our relationship with China. Our focus on the Malaysia My Second Home program, medical tourism and education tourism will help us achieve our target of 23.5 million international tourist arrivals and RM76.8 billion in tourism receipts by 2025,” said YB Dato Sri Tiong .

This year, Tourism Malaysia through its Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou offices will intensify promotions alongside with the travel agents and airlines. Malaysia is optimistic that there will be more flight frequency to boost connectivity between China and Malaysia. At present, there are 81 flights per week from China to Malaysia via Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Shenzen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Malindo Air .

AirAsia’s latest promotion offers discounted fares on flights from Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou to Kuala Lumpur and from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Nanning and Wuhan to Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu. Bookings for this promotion starts from 11 April to 16 April, 2023, with travel dates between 17 April to 28 October, 2023.

Finally, MOTAC through Tourism Malaysia will continue their efforts to work alongside the travel industry, including airlines, travel agents, product owners and hoteliers to promote Malaysia in China market.

Vicky Karantzavelou

Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

• Vicky Karantzavelou https://www.traveldailynews.asia/author/vicky-karantzavelou/ Minor Hotels targets 50 new openings in India by 2034
• Vicky Karantzavelou https://www.traveldailynews.asia/author/vicky-karantzavelou/ IGLTA opens Fellowship for 2024 Global Convention in Osaka
• Vicky Karantzavelou https://www.traveldailynews.asia/author/vicky-karantzavelou/ Korean Air sets direct flights from Seoul to Lisbon
• Vicky Karantzavelou https://www.traveldailynews.asia/author/vicky-karantzavelou/ Tourism Malaysia launches roadmap for Visit Malaysia 2026

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TOURISM MALAYSIA KICKS OFF ITS 2023 SALES MISSION AND ROADSHOW TO PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

BEIJING, 10 April 2023 – The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture together with Tourism Malaysia have embarked their first sales mission and roadshow to major cities in China from 29 March to 15 April 2023. The sales mission takes place in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangxi while the roadshow begins in Guangzhou, followed by Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen.

The mission is headed by Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture together with 70 organisations comprising state governments namely Tourism Terengganu, Tourism Selangor, Sabah Tourism Board, Sarawak Tourism Board, and participating agencies such as Malaysia Health Tourism Council (MHTC), Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) as well as other industry players from Malaysian Inbound Chinese Association (MICA), Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), and product owners.

The main objective of this mission is to strengthen marketing efforts and raise Malaysia’s profile for China Market after the reopening of China market beginning 6 February 2023 and also to highlight Malaysia’s projection in organising Visit Malaysia 2025. For the year 2023, Malaysia is targeting 16.1 million international tourist arrivals with RM49.2 billion in tourism receipts.

Alongside the mission, seminars are held by Tourism Malaysia, focusing on leisure market, niche market namely education, Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H), and medical tourism. Business matching sessions are also organised throughout the cities to give the platform for Malaysian industry players to reconnect with China given the long hiatus since the Covid-19 outbreak.

“China is a vital market for Malaysia, and we are grateful to be included in their list of 20 countries to visit. Our presence here today is a testament to our commitment to strengthening our relationship with China. Our focus on the Malaysia My Second Home program, medical tourism, and education tourism will help us achieve our target of 23.5 million international tourist arrivals and RM76.8 billion in tourism receipts by 2025,” said YB Dato Sri Tiong.

This year, Tourism Malaysia through its Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou offices will intensify promotions alongside with the travel agents and airlines. Malaysia is optimistic that there will be more flight frequency to boost connectivity between China and Malaysia. At present, there are 81 flights per week from China to Malaysia via Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Cathay Pacific, China Southern Airlines, Shenzen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Malindo Air.

AirAsia's latest promotion offers discounted fares on flights from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur for ¥288 (CNY) and from Guangzhou to KUL for ¥188 (CNY). Bookings for this promotion starts from 10 April to 16 April, 2023, with travel dates between 17 April to 28 October, 2023.

Finally, The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture through Tourism Malaysia will continue their efforts to work alongside the travel industry, including airlines, travel agents, product owners and hoteliers to promote Malaysia in China market.

About Tourism Malaysia

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination. Since its inception, it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia’s social media accounts on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , YouTube , and TikTok .

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