22-12-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) China has maintained its status as Malaysia’s largest source of tourists outside ASEAN countries for seven consecutive years, marking a significant milestone in the bilateral relationship. The year 2019 recorded an impressive 3,795,800 people-to-people exchanges between the two nations before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, as reported by the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia.
The embassy has consistently prioritized and actively fostered exchanges and cooperation across various domains between the two nations. Continuous efforts have been dedicated to streamlining people-to-people exchanges to enhance the mutual benefits of the friendly relations between China and Malaysia.
In a recent statement, the embassy reported processing close to 260,000 visas in 2023, with a peak of over 4,000 visa applications handled in a single day.
On a positive note, Malaysia’s local tourism industry expresses optimism regarding the proactive efforts of the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Ministry (Motac) in promoting Malaysia as a tourist destination in major Chinese cities. Coupled with the recently announced visa-free policy, industry players anticipate welcoming approximately five million Chinese tourists to Malaysia in the upcoming year.
Nigel Wong, the president of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), expressed their commitment to achieving this target set by Motac. Various initiatives have been implemented in anticipation of the return of Chinese tourists. MATTA plans to send its members on trade missions to China next year.
While Nigel Wong acknowledged the challenge, he emphasized the importance of well-targeted marketing strategies and the government providing incentives, such as grants, to encourage tourism stakeholders to engage directly with travel agents and tour operators from China.
Datuk Dr Angie Ng, president of the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA), identified four critical factors for achieving the target of attracting five million Chinese tourists: flights, visa exemptions, business tourism, and tourism services. Ng emphasized the positive impact of the visa-free policy, attracting numerous business groups to Malaysia.
Mint Leong, president of the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (Mita), envisions collaboration with Motac to attract five million Chinese tourists in 2024. The ambitious target, backed by a free visa policy, aims to surpass the 1.5 million Chinese visitors recorded in 2023, focusing on increased flights and direct routes to tourist destinations.
Lim Choong Sean, vice-president of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH), highlighted the potential benefits for the hotel industry with the free visa policy but stressed the need for government regulation of unregistered accommodations to maximize the impact.
