The sales mission brought together 47 Malaysian tourism stakeholders, including tour operators, hoteliers and airline partners, to strengthen trade partnerships, expand business opportunities and reinforce Malaysia’s position as a preferred destination for Indian travellers. The programme also facilitated business-to-business engagements, networking and the development of new travel opportunities between Malaysian and Indian tourism stakeholders.
The mission was led by Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, and organised in collaboration with Batik Air, highlighting the public-private partnership supporting Malaysia’s tourism promotion efforts.
Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim said, “India remains one of Tourism Malaysia’s most important and fastest-growing source markets. While the current geopolitical developments and evolving international travel landscape may influence travel sentiment in certain regions, Tourism Malaysia remains committed to maintaining a strong presence in the market and ensuring Malaysia remains top of mind among Indian travellers. This calls for sustained, targeted and market-driven promotional efforts, supported by close collaboration with our airline partners and the travel trade.”
Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal added, “Through this sales mission, we aim to strengthen business partnerships, generate new commercial opportunities and encourage our industry partners to develop more attractive and competitive travel packages tailored to the Indian market. At the same time, we want to inspire travellers to explore destinations beyond the traditional Kuala Lumpur and Genting Highlands itineraries.”
He further highlighted the potential of destinations such as Sarawak, Langkawi, Penang, Johor and Sabah for the Indian market. These destinations offer experiences spanning nature, adventure and island holidays, cultural heritage, gastronomy, shopping, family attractions, MICE and destination weddings. Tourism Malaysia said promoting these destinations more extensively would encourage longer stays, higher visitor spending and repeat visitation.
India remains one of Malaysia’s key international source markets, supported by an extensive network of more than 190 direct flights weekly, with seat capacity exceeding 37,000 seats per week. The connectivity provides access to Malaysia and continues to support growth in visitor arrivals.
The market has also recorded encouraging performance following the introduction of visa-free travel for Indian nationals in December 2023. Malaysia welcomed more than 1.5 million visitor arrivals from India in 2025, placing India among Malaysia’s top five international source markets alongside Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and China. The positive momentum is expected to continue through 2026 and beyond.
With the Visit Malaysia campaign extended through 2027, Tourism Malaysia will intensify its promotional initiatives in India to sustain the momentum generated under Visit Malaysia 2026 while building a stronger pipeline of visitors for the extended campaign period. The extension provides opportunities to deepen industry collaboration, maintain Malaysia’s destination visibility and strengthen market confidence amid an evolving global tourism environment.
Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC). It focuses on promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination and has, since its establishment, played a significant role in strengthening the country’s presence and competitiveness in the global tourism landscape.
Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) underscores Malaysia’s commitment to sustainable tourism development in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). The campaign aims to showcase the nation’s diverse natural attractions, rich cultural heritage and vibrant tourism offerings while driving inclusive growth and long-term value for local communities and industry stakeholders.
For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia’s website and its social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube and TikTok.
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