china tourist to malaysia 2023

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Malaysia readies to welcome Chinese travellers

Malaysia is gearing up to welcome Chinese travellers into the country from January 8, 2023, despite calls to temporarily ban the entry of travellers from China, which is dealing with an explosion of Covid-19 cases after the abrupt lifting of restrictions.

News agency Bernama reported that the Ministry of Health of Malaysia was prepared to change the existing Covid-19 pandemic management healthcare policy at the country’s borders, including the tightening the standard operating procedure (SOP) for health checks.

Health minister Saliha Mustafa said the extension of Malaysia as a ‘Local Infection Area’ until June will also give the ministry the leeway to deal with the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in China, adding that preventive measures and preparations to face any potential rise in cases will be stepped up.

Regardless, tourism players look forward to the arrival of Chinese tourists once more.

Lambasting those who opposed the reopening of Malaysia’s borders to Chinese travellers, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents’ (MATTA) president KL Tan said: “Outright calls to shut our borders to Chinese travellers at this very early stage are irrational and irresponsible. Since the reopening of our borders in early 2022, our country has been making steady, positive progress towards recovery and any knee-jerk reaction to reintroduce restrictions without proper planning risks undoing all that we have achieved.

“MATTA has complete faith in the Ministry of Health of Malaysia in managing Chinese arrivals just as they have done with other travellers from all over the world. The government’s decision should balance the health and well-being of the people and Malaysia’s reputation as a safe destination as well as the economic ramifications of its policies in this matter. It must also benchmark with current global practices while considering its own capacity and limitations rather than bow to lobbyist groups.”

Solidarity Association For Travel & Tours Agency Malaysia’s (SAFTTA) president, Fathir Badri Alhadad, shared that the country needs to consider the importance of how China can help to rebuild its economy before imposing any bans, adding that Malaysia needs China investors in order to further develop its national economy.

Instead, SAFTTA recommends that the government implement pro-active measures such as compulsory Covid-19 pre-departure testing of up to 48 hours before, Covid-19 screening upon arrival into the country and, if necessary, make it compulsory for Chinese travellers to quarantine for at least three days before allowing them to continue with their activities.

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Question 1: Under what circumstances can Malaysian citizens apply to the visa free policy?

Answer: From 0:00(Beijing time) on December 1, 2023 to 24:00 (Beijing time) on November 30, 2024, the Chinese government will implement 15-day visa free policy for Malaysian citizens holding ordinary passport who enter China for business, tourism, family visit and transit purposes.

According to the agreement concluded between the Governments of China and Malaysia in 2011, Malaysian holders of diplomatic and official passports are normally not required to apply for a visa beforehand when travelling to China for a short period of time (not exceeding 30 days).

For other visa free policies, please visit the website of the National Immigration Administration of China ( https://www.nia.gov.cn/ ) or call the 12367 hotline of the local immigration department for more information.

Question 2: Under what circumstances do Malaysian citizens still need to apply for a visa to visit China?

Answer: 1. Holders of Malaysian ordinary passports who travel to China for business, tourism, or family visit, and intend to stay in China for more than 15 days; 2. Holders of ordinary passports who travel to China for study, employment,  permanent residence, study visit, news coverage, etc..3. Other circumstances where a visa is required.

Question 3: What are the requirements for ordinary passport holders applying Chinese Visa?

Answer: Besides visa application form, photo, invitation letter, previous China visa record, there are two more requirements for ordinary passport holders applying for Chinese Visa: firstly, applicants need to fill out the visa application form online; secondly, applicants need to submit the application in person at the Kuala Lumpur Chinese Visa Application Service Center (hereinafter referred to as the Centre) for fingerprint collection.

Applicants can complete the online form through the "Quick Access" section of the Visa Application Centre's website. The website address of the Visa Application Centre is:  https://www.visaforchina.cn/globle/

Question 4: After completing the online application form, is it necessary to make an appointment online?

Answer: From November 24, 2023, the Embassy and Consulates General of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia canceled the online appointment for China visa application. Applicants can walk in the China Visa Application Service Centre(CVASC) in Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, Penang or the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Kota Kinabalu without online appointment to apply for visas with relevant documents.

Question 5: After completing the online application form, is it necessary to submit the application at the Centre?

Answer: Yes. Please print out the confirmation page and the complete form (7 pages in total, preferable double sided), and sign the confirmation page and item 9 of the form, and submit the application in person with all the required documents (please refer to  the Notice on Visa Application, updated November 2023 ) at the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre in Kuala Lumpur retain ten fingerprints.

Upon arrival, please obtain a queue number. When your number has been called, please submit your application at the respective counter.

Visa Centre address: Level 5, Hampshire Place Office, Jalan Mayang Sari, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Question 6: After completing the online application form, can I appoint someone else to submit the visa application documents for me at the Visa Application Centre?

Answer: Applicants must present personally to submit the visa application at the Visa Application Centre on time and retain 10 fingerprints. Applicants who are exempted from fingerprint may entrust another person to submit the visa application.

The applicant must be physically in Malaysia at the time of submission of the visa application documents. If you are not in Malaysia then, please submit your application to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate-General or visa application centre in the country where you are currently staying, or apply after you return to Malaysia.

Question 7: How may an applicant be exempted from fingerprint collection?

Answer: The following applicants are exempted from fingerprints collection: Applicants under the age of 14 or over 70; Applicants who already had their fingerprints collected within the past five years at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia or the Centre in Kuala Lumpur with the same passport; Applications for Diplomatic and Service Passport Holders and Diplomatic, Service and Courtesy Visas; Applicants with all fingers uncollectible.

Question 8: What are the requirements for visa invitation letter?

Answer:  The invitation letter may be in the form of fax, photocopy or computer printout, but the consular officer may require the applicant to submit the original of the invitation letter.

The invitation letter should contain:

1. Information of the applicant (full name, gender, date of birth, etc.)

2. Information of the visit (purpose of visit, intended arrival date, place(s) of intended residence, intended duration of stay, arrival and departure dates, relations between the applicant and the inviting entity or individual, financial source for expenditures)

3. Information of the inviting individual (name, contact number, address, official stamp, signature of legal representative or the inviting individual, etc.)

The content of the invitation letter needs to be true and valid, and there should be no missing items, otherwise the applicant will bear all the responsibilities caused by the return or rejection of the application.

Question 9: How long is the processing time after successfully submitting all the application documents (how long in advance should I submit the visa application)? 

Answer: Under normal circumstances, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia can process the visa within 4 working days (in case of holidays, the processing time will be postponed). The applicant can collect the passport on the collection date listed on the pickup form. For special cases, the Embassy has the right to extend the processing time of the visa (if it exceeds 4 working days, please e-mail the Visa Application Centre for inquiries). It is suggested that applicants fill in the form and submit the visa application online about one month before the intended date of entry. If there is no urgent or special reason to go to China recently, it is recommended to avoid the current peak of visa applications and arrange the application time appropriately.

Question 10: Is expedited service available for visa application? 

Answer: After the visa application materials are successfully submitted, the visa processing time is: 4 working days for regular applications, 3 working days for express applications, and 2 working days for urgent applications (in case of holidays, the processing time will be postponed). If you require expedited service, please inform the front desk staff at the Visa Application Centre when submitting your visa and pay an additional expedited fee ( Schedule of Fees ).

Question 11: What is the visa procedures upon arriving at the visa centre?

Answer: Before proceeding to the Visa Application Centre, please make sure that you have all the required visa application documents ready (please refer to the Notice on the Latest Requirements for Visa Applications for Foreigners to China, updated on 14 March 2023). Arrive at the Visa Application Centre on time for your appointment and follow the steps below to complete your visa application:

1. Preliminary review: Show visa application form, original passport, copy of passport information page and other application materials to the information counter staff.

2. Obtain a queue number: After capturing photo on the spot, scanning passport information, kindly obtain the queue number at the information counter.

3. Submission: Submit the application to the application counter (according to the regulations, the Visa Application Centre will collect the applicant's ten fingerprints on the spot. If an interview is required, the Visa Application Centre will contact the applicant. Please proceed to the Embassy for the interview at the designated time slot. After the application is accepted, the counter staff will issue a Payment Notice to be paid at the cashier counter.

4. Payment: After submitting the application, you need to pay the visa fee and service fee in full amount on the same day (bank card or cash payment), and will receive a pick-up form and a Receipt. If the applicant fails to pay the full amount, the Visa Application Centre will terminate the application and the consequences thereof shall be borne by the applicant.

5. Collection: Please keep the pick-up form properly, and collect the passport on the appointed collection date in person or entrust a third party to collect your passport with the original pick-up form.   

Question 12: Is payment to be done upon submission or collection?

Answer: Payment shall be made upon submission. After the visa application documents are successfully submitted, the applicant will pay the fee at the cashier counter with the Payment Notice. The fee includes the visa fee (express fee, if any) charged on behalf of the Embassy and the service fee charged by the Visa Application Centre. If the visa application is not approved by the Embassy, or is refused, or changed, the service fee will not be refunded.

Question 13: How to check the visa application status after submission?

Answer: The Visa Application Centre website provides 24-hour online visa application status service. You can check in the "Quick Access" section under "Status" on the Visa Application Centre website (Chinese Visa Application Service Center ( visaforchina.cn) .

Question 14:  Can I cancel my submitted visa application?       

Answer: Visa application which has been submitted but not completed can be canceled. Please note that in case of cancellation of visa application, the service fee paid will not be refunded.

Question 15: What are working hours, address, telephone number and e-mail address of the Visa Application Centre? What should I do if the consultation number cannot be reached?

Answer: Visa Centre in Kuala Lumpur working hours (working days):

Submission of applications: 9:00 to 15:00.

Submission of express applications: 9:00 to 12:00.

Collection: 9:00 to 16:00.

Address: Level 5, Hampshire Place Office, Jalan Mayang Sari, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Contact information: 006-03-21760888   (working days 9:00-16:00, except public holidays)

E-mail address: [email protected] 

Due to the high volume of telephone service on weekdays, if you fail to reach us, it is recommended that you make enquiry via e-mail.

For visa applicants in East Malaysia, please refer to the notice on the website of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

Question 16: Does an APEC card holder require to apply for a visa? Is it required to proceed to the Embassy to complete any formalities?

Answer: Since 24 August 2022, traveler with a valid APEC Business Travel Card physical card was allowed to enter China, and does not need to re-apply for visas to China or go through procedures at the Embassy. The Embassy does not accept APEC card applications, please consult relevant government departments in Malaysia for details.

Question 17: Is multiple-entry visa applicable for Malaysians?          

Answer: Yes. Besides passport, application form, photo, invitation letter and other visa application materials, Malaysian citizens applying for multiple-entry visas are also required to provide the previous record of Chinese visa issued or the record of corresponding number of visits to China:

1. L-visa (Tourist visa)

(1) 3-month multiple entry L-visa: Itinerary issued by the cruise company.

(2) 1-year multiple entry L-visa: Detailed travel itinerary and corresponding irrevocable air ticket, hotel booking and photocopies of previous Chinese visas and previous records of travelling to China.

2. M-visa (Commercial Trade Activities)

(1) 6-month to 1-year multiple entry M-Visa: A photocopy of previous Chinese visa within 5 years.

(2) 2-year multiple entry M-Visa: A photocopy of previous 6-month to 1-year multiple entries Chinese visa; or photocopies of previous 3 times entry records or more within 5 years.

(3) 3-year multiple entry M-Visa: A photocopy of previous 2-year multiple entries Chinese visa within 5 years; or photocopy of previous 2 visa granted for 1-year multiple entries Chinese visa within 5 years; or photocopy of previous 5 entries records or more within 5 years.

3. Q2-visa (Family visit visa)

(1) 6-month to 2-year multiple entry Q2-Visa: A photocopy of previous Chinese visa issued within 5 years.

(2) 3-year to 5-year multiple entry Q2-Visa: A photocopy of previous 2-year multiple entries Chinese visa; or photocopy of previous 2 visas or more issued for 1-year multiple entries Chinese visa. 

4. S2-Visa (Personal matters visa)

For visiting family members for a short period, you may apply for a multiple entry S2-visa with the validity period of not exceeding the validity period of the inviting individual's residence permit.

For private affairs such as inheritance, litigation, having real estate in China, etc.:

(1) 6-month to 1-year multiple entry S2-Visa: A photocopy of previous Chinese visa within 5 years.

(2) 2-year multiple entry S2-Visa: A photocopy of previous 6-month to 1-year multiple entries Chinese visa; or photocopy of previous 3 entries records or more to China within 5 years.

(3) 3-year multiple entry S2-Visa: A photocopy of previous 2-year multiple entry Chinese visa within 5 years; or photocopies of previous 1-year multiple entry Chinese visa for more than 2 times within 5 years; or photocopy of previous 5 entry records or more to China within 5 years.

Question 18: Can foreign nationals from third countries who come to Malaysia temporarily apply for multiple visas?

Answer: Unless otherwise specified in bilateral agreements, foreign nationals of third countries who come to Malaysia temporarily can only apply for a single-entry visa.

Question 19: How to apply for a visa to Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR?

Answer: Malaysian passport holders who visit Hong Kong SAR for less than 90 days are exempted from applying for visas; Malaysian passport holders can travel to Macau SAR without a visa and the duration of stay is determined by the Public Security Police Force of the Macao SAR. If the purpose of the visit is for residence, work, study, receive vocational training, performing, holding exhibitions, etc., you need to apply for a visa in advance. For details, please visit the website of the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong SAR: www.immd.gov.hk; Consultation telephone: 0085228246111; Website of the Public Security Police Force of the Macao SAR: http://www.fsm.gov.mo/; Hotline: 0085328725488.

If you need to apply for a visa to the Hong Kong SAR or Macau SAR, you can submit application materials to the Visa Application Center. In accordance with relevant provisions of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Basic Law of the Macau Special Administrative Region, the Hong Kong SAR and the Macau SAR have the rights to carry out immigration control on their own. The final issuance of a visa is at the discretion of the Embassy or the SAR Government, and the Visa Application Centre is not involved in the approval process. Visa Application Centre will charge visa fees, urgent fees, Hong Kong and Macau visa liaison fees (if any), and service fees. The above service fee is non-refundable regardless of visa approval or not.

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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 .

For enquiries, please contact:

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Follow our news, recent searches, malaysia's tourism industry struggling to recover as chinese visitors trickle in, advertisement.

The nation is hard-pressed to achieve its lofty target of attracting 16 million tourist arrivals this year.

Tourists take pictures at the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery.

Melissa Goh

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is hoping the return of Chinese travellers will help buoy its tourism industry, which is still struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

With eight months to go before the year ends, it is counting on China, which reopened its borders in January , to bring in 5 million visitors.

As part of efforts towards that goal, Malaysia's tourism ministry recently signed agreements with two Chinese tour agencies to bring 450,000 tourists from China to the country.

However, the widely expected wave of Chinese visitors has turned out to be a trickle in the face of high travel costs and insufficient flights.

LACK OF FLIGHTS

"The (number of plane) seats are an issue, connectivity is an issue," said Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing.

"We are trying to increase our scheduled flights, and at the same time, we are trying to get (more) scheduled chartered flights. So give us a bit of time to sort it out."

There are currently 81 flights per week from various cities across China to Malaysia, which is not enough to ferry the target number of tourists.

Malaysia needs to at least triple the capacity and frequency of its flights in order to meet its expectations. But some industry players are concerned that doing so would increase costs.

"Chartered flights are going to cost more so who is going to bear the cost?" asked Mr Uzaidi Udanis, president of Malaysia’s tourism council and inbound travel association.

"We need to find some sort of incentives. Most likely the state governments (need to) encourage chartered flights to fly directly to (their) respective states."

Tour agencies have also asked Malaysia’s government to ease visa application procedures.

In response, the tourism minister has promised to make the process easier, including introducing visas on arrival for Chinese and Indian visitors.

Mr Tiong is also working with the home ministry to simplify criteria for retirees and high-net-worth individuals to make Malaysia their second home.

JULY INFLUX EXPECTED

Malaysia is expecting Chinese tourists to return in full force from July during China’s summer holidays.

"Before COVID, we were getting 3.1 million (Chinese visitors)," said Mr Tiong.

"This year, we will try to get 5 million. We can prove ourselves with this benchmark, we try our best. I hope we can work together in further strengthening our collaborations in marketing and promoting our country’s tourism offerings to the world."

While domestic travel in China has caught up with pre-pandemic numbers, outbound travel is experiencing a sluggish recovery.

Nonetheless, industry players are optimistic about a rebound in the next few months.

"China’s outbound travel has recovered by only about 20 to 30 per cent. By May, it’s expected to improve further to 50 per cent. When summer comes, I expect outbound travel to hit 80 to 90 per cent," said mainland Chinese tour operator Li Cheng.

He added that with an anticipated increase in flight frequencies, more Chinese travellers are likely to visit Malaysia as well as the wider Southeast Asia region.

BUSINESSES NOT READY

While Malaysia is gearing up for a surge in mainland Chinese tourist arrivals, some are worried that the tourism industry would not be able to cope, given a lot of players were forced to close during the pandemic.

Those that remain open are struggling with staffing and rising costs.

"Compared to pre-pandemic, we are paying our staff more. Also, electricity and utilities are more expensive, the rent as well, basically everything,” said Mr Ng Sin Leong, founder of Mingle guesthouse.

“It is not an issue of lack of workers – t here are workers in the market. The problem is lack of management and skilled workers.”

Industry players said they hope the government can do more to help ease the cost of doing business, which has gone up by an average of 30 per cent.

Last year, Malaysia recorded 10.07 million international tourist arrivals who spent RM28.2 billion (US$6.3 billion).

It hopes to more than double that amount next year with a forecast of 23.5 million visitors with some US$17 billion in tourism receipts.

But meanwhile, Malaysia needs to speed up the recovery of its airline, hotels and transportation sectors if it wants to meet its target of generating US$11 billion in tourism revenue this year.

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Chinese Tourists Traveling to Malaysia for Chinese New Year 2023 increased by 584%

• ANNOUNCEMENTS / PRESS RELEASES / STATEMENTS

Hello 2023, Chinese tourists are traveling to Malaysia and the rest of the world after the opening of their borders earlier this month. Trip.com Group, the leading global travel service provider, has seen mainland Chinese demand for travel continue to surge in the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday season. This comes after the decision last month by mainland China to officially abolish all quarantine restrictions for inbound visitors from 8 January. Chinese Tourists Traveling to Malaysia for Chinese New Year 2023 increased by 584% according to Trip.com.

Since the announcement on 26 December 2022, Trip.com Group has subsequently seen a huge increase in searches and the volume of travel bookings.

Flight bookings and destination search trends On Trip.com Group’s leading Chinese language travel service platform Ctrip, between 26 December 2022 and 5 January 2023, search interest for outbound flights from mainland China increased by 83% compared to the two-week period prior, with outbound flight bookings increasing by 59% over the same period.

Bookings show the most popular cross-border destinations include: Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, the United States, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and Indonesia.

China Tourists Flying in to Malaysia with 11 Flights

Lunar New Year Trends

With millions set to be on the move during the Lunar New Year holiday in China, also known as Spring Festival, which takes place from 21 – 27 January 2023 and the first major holiday following the liberalisation of border policies, outbound bookings for trips have grown significantly.

Analysis of Ctrip data shows overseas travel for the seven-day Lunar New Year holiday surged by 540% compared to last year’s Spring Festival; and the average cost of bookings was revealed to have risen by 32% year-on-year.

Ctrip data also shows airline bookings from mainland China to Hong Kong increased by 18 times compared with the previous year, following the announcement to ease restrictions. The number of airline bookings to Hong Kong has also increased by 36% month-on-month.

Similarly, the search popularity of Hong Kong on the platform was more than double that and increased by 85% month-on-month.

Taking a deeper look, the top ten most popular domestic destinations for the Spring festival are Shanghai, Beijing, Sanya, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Kunming, Hangzhou, Chongqing and Haikou.

Southeast Asia Shines as Top Outbound Destination

As of January 12, 2023, in the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday, overall travel bookings of mainland Chinese tourists to Southeast Asian countries increased by 1026% compared with the same period last year. The number of air ticket bookings from mainland China to Southeast Asia increased by 864% year-on-year, and the top 5 most popular destination countries for mainland Chinese tourists traveling to Southeast Asia during the Lunar New Year holiday are: Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Indonesia.

According to Ctrip’s data, from December 27 to January 11, Thailand stands out as a top destination for Chinese tourists during the Spring Festival holiday on the platform. During the same period, inbound travel bookings from Thailand to mainland China increased by 101% year-on-year.

In addition to this, as of January 12, the number of mainland tourists traveling to Singapore for the Lunar New Year holiday increased by 499% year-on-year, Malaysia saw an increase of 584% year-on-year, with Cambodia and Indonesia each increasing by more than 10 times year-on-year.

I find this story quite interesting and thus I decided to share to everyone. If not mistaken there are daily flights of 10 flights from China to Malaysia daily and it is not surprising that there will be more of Chinese tourist to Malaysia during Chinese New Year. Believe it or not, Chinese Tourists Traveling to Malaysia for Chinese New Year 2023 increased by 584%.

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Tourism Malaysia at ITB China

SHANGHAI, 18 September 2023: Tourism Malaysia and partners are counting on China’s outbound travel recovery to get visitor arrivals back on track in 2023, and promotional efforts kicked off at ITB China last week.  

That was the message presented by Tourism Malaysia to travel trade visitors attending ITB China 2023, considered the biggest travel trade show in China, focusing on China’s outbound travel sector. The show was held at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre from 12 to 14 September 2023. 

The delegation was headed by Tourism Malaysia’s senior director of international promotions (Asia/Africa) division, Manoharan Periasamy. Penang Global Tourism and Sarawak Tourism Board joined Tourism Malaysia as its partner states. The sales team comprised 35 organisations, comprising 15 tour operators, 10 hotels and resorts, two state tourism agencies, three tourism associations, two product owners, two airlines and one tourism-related service. 

ITB China is the leading B2B-exclusive trade show focused on the Chinese Travel Market, with selected buyers from the Greater China area. This is the third time Malaysia has participated since the show’s inception in 2017. With the opening of the China borders in February 2023, Tourism Malaysia sees the show as a suitable platform for industry players to meet and plan their business strategies for the coming years. 

Commenting on the participation, Manoharan Periasamy said, “ITB China is the biggest travel trade show in China, and Malaysia is excited to be part of the show again. We are committed to demonstrating Malaysia’s presence in the China outbound travel market and our readiness to welcome more Chinese tourists to Malaysia. Our co-exhibitors will leverage the pre-scheduled appointments and networking sessions to establish deeper cooperation and garner more business opportunities.”

“China is one of Penang’s most important markets, and it has always been one of the top three arrival countries in Penang. It is crucial to keep the publicity momentum to draw travellers to Penang. Penang Global Tourism has organised the ‘Experience Penang’ roadshow in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, which increased flights from China. We hope our presence in ITB China with Penang industry partners will showcase the versatility of Penang being a world-class destination,” said Penang State EXCO for Tourism & Creative Economy YB Wong Hong Wai.

“We are thrilled to be back to a fully physical ITB China this year and to meet up and revitalise relationships with new and established China travel agents. With borders now fully open, we look forward to creating more opportunities for Chinese visitors to come to Sarawak to enjoy our variety of Culture, Adventure, Nature, Food and Festival offerings available at all our gateways of Kuching, Sibu and Miri,” said Sarawak Tourism Board deputy chief executive officer integrated marketing & communications Suriya Charles Buas.

China remains one of the top markets for Malaysia’s inbound travel, contributing 211,363 arrivals last year. Up to May 2023, Malaysia received 403,121 Chinese tourists, compared to 21,613 (+907.2%) in the same period last year. Malaysia is currently targeting to receive 16.1 million international tourist arrivals with MYR49.2 billion in tourism receipts, with 5 million arrivals targeted to be from the Chinese market. 

With the resumption and announcement of new international routes from Malaysia-based airlines and China-based airlines Air China, Spring Airlines and Xiamen Air, there are currently 217 weekly flights between China and Malaysia. 

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THE FUTURE OF ISLAMIC TOURISM

Friday, 30 Aug 2024

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Nizran says the gap between the growing demand of Muslim tourists and availability of products and services needs to be addressed, so that Malaysia can retain its position as a top Muslim-friendly destination.

MALAYSIA is known to be one of the hot spots for Muslim tourists worldwide.

In 2023, about 20% of its 20.1 million annual visitors were Muslims and RM14.7bil in spending was generated. This positions Malaysia closer to surpassing its pre-pandemic record of 5.3 million arrivals in 2019.

Talking to StarBiz, Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) director-general Nizran Noordin said Malaysia’s well-structured Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) ecosystem plays an important role in drawing Muslims to visit Malaysia.

He stated that the increasing awareness and demand for Muslim-friendly services and products in the tourism industry have contributed to this projection.

“As Muslims recognise that their faith-based needs can be met while travelling, their purchasing power encourages service providers and destinations to pay attention to this lucrative market,” he said.

Malaysia’s population, over half of whom are Muslim, is well-positioned to offer necessary amenities for Muslim tourists.

The country’s diverse halal food options, including local delicacies and cuisines from across Asia, are complemented by its globally recognised halal certification from the Islamic Development Malaysia Department (Jakim).

Nizran emphasised that Malaysia further enhances its appeal with specialised services, such as hotels certified by ITC’s MFTH Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) and Muslim-friendly tourist guide services.

“We believe that a properly built and trustworthy standard is integral in ensuring the quality of MFTH services, as they directly impact the faith-based experiences of Muslims as they explore Malaysia,” he said.

This pioneering approach has drawn the attention of other countries like Russia, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, and Cambodia, which are seeking ITC’s advisory services to develop their own MFTH programmes.

“I’m happy to say that Malaysia is viewed as an example by these countries as they embark on their MFTH journey,” Nizran stated.Filling the gaps

The global Muslim tourism market is projected to reach 230 million international arrivals and contribute approximately US$225bil by 2028– and it is to no surprise that Malaysia’s tourism sector stands to gain significantly from this growth.

When the pandemic hit back in 2020, a profound impact was seen on Malaysia’s tourism market – leading to a critical decline in tourist arrival and economic losses.

Tourism arrivals dropped significantly by 68.2% as compared to the previous year due to travel restrictions and the implementation of the movement control order (MCO) in Malaysia.

Fast forward to 2023, Malaysia’s MFTH ecosystem has seen significant strides in its recovery post-pandemic, as the sector has seen a resurgence in demand following the return of international travel.

“However, there are still areas where the ecosystem can expand to increase and sustain its momentum,” Nizran said.

He said one key opportunity lies in closing the gap between growing demands of Muslim tourists and the availability of suitable products and services – this includes fashion, entertainment, healthcare, financial services as well as digital technologies. He said by providing products and services that cater specifically and aligns with Islamic values would further increase Malaysia’s MFTH ecosystem.

“By addressing these gaps and continuously innovating, Malaysia can retain its position as a top Muslim-friendly destination, so the MFTH ecosystem remains robust and beneficial to the tourists and the industry in the years to come,” he said.

He highlighted that the anticipated increase in Muslim tourists will not only benefit the travellers, but also the services sector here in Malaysia.

“In turn, this will skyrocket the overall economy, creating jobs and stimulating investment in the larger tourism industry,” he said.

He also felt it necessary to explain that “Muslim traveller is not just the Arab market as what many may perceive. The modern Muslim traveller is everywhere with discerning needs and varied travel preferences just waiting to be served by destinations”.

“These are the new faces of the modern Muslim traveller which we all need to cater to, and who present limitless opportunities in terms of marketing and branding,” he added.

Malaysia as an umrah hub

Each year, millions of Muslims perform umrah. In 2023 alone, over 13.5 million made their pilgrimage.

Hence, an umrah hub allows Muslim pilgrims to strategically streamline their travel to and from Saudi Arabia for their pilgrimage.

Nizran said Malaysia’s strategic geographic location, world-class infrastructure, established MFTH ecosystem and rich cultural heritage, positions it perfectly as a prime umrah transit hub.

“This initiative is in line with our vision to make Malaysia the preferred pre- and post-umrah destination for Muslim travellers and umrah pilgrims, particularly from South-East Asia, East Asia and Oceania,” he said.

Approved by the Malaysian Cabinet in June 2023, the initiative led by ITC’s special task force aims to position Malaysia as a top umrah transit hub – in which a comprehensive blueprint on promotion, package development, accommodation, transportation, and frontliner training, is currently being finalised.

The benefits from Malaysia transforming into an umrah hub is significant.

“The stream of umrah pilgrims is expected to generate economic growth across multiple sectors, creating jobs, leading to revenues subsequently enhancing our Muslim-friendly services and facilities for local and international visitors,” he said.

Additionally, he highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs) which are considered crucial to achieve this goal.

“By engaging both public and private sectors, we can effectively pool resources, expertise and innovation to create a conducive and sustainable umrah transit hub.

“This collaboration will be key to meeting the diverse needs of umrah pilgrims and ensuring that all stakeholders benefit from this strategic endeavour,” he added.

On that note, the World Islamic Tourism Conference (WITC) 2024 marks its first public discussion of the umrah Hub initiative, recognising and involving key industry players who are crucial to its success.

ITC anticipates a larger and more enthusiastic turnout of tourism industry leaders this year, surpassing the 460 international and local delegates who attended the previous WITC in 2022.

Returning for its fourth edition, the WITC continues to set the foundation for growth, collaboration and innovation among industry leaders and stakeholders.

The two-day event will take place from Sept 12-13, 2024 at Sunway Resort Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, and will bring together more than 40 speakers.

With the theme “Forging Connections”, the conference brings together thought leaders, policy makers, industry captains and travel experts for a discourse on new insights and trends of the Muslim tourist market.

Some key topics include “Bridging the Non-Mainstream, Mainstream: Connecting Across Boundaries” by Creed and Culture co-founder Omar DaCosta-Shahid and “Connecting Muslim Tourists in the Digital Space” by Muzz chief executive officer Shahzad Younas.

Other key topics are “Power of Food” by Kucina Italian Restaurant owner Chef Gero DiMaria, “Promoting Islamic Heritage as a Driver for Tourism” by Saudi Tourism Authority trade accounts director for South-East Asia Eyad Jan, and “Female Muslim Travellers: The Powerhouse Driving the Industry Forward” by Elena Nikolova of Muslim Travel Girl.

Attendees will also acquire invaluable insights into the changing MFTH landscape, practical strategies for improving MFTH services, and opportunities to connect with global leaders.

ITC is offering a special 50% early bird discount until Aug 31, 2024. Tickets are sold at RM125 for Malaysians and US$50 for non-Malaysians after discount.

Payments can be made via online transfer, e-wallet, as well as debit or credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, and AMEX are accepted).

To register for the WITC, visit www.witc.gov.my

Tags / Keywords: Digital Advertorial , StarPicks , Islamic Tourism , World Islamic Tourism Conference 2024 , Islamic Tourism Centre , ITC , tourism industry , Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality , MFTH

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