Malaysia pursues holistic strategy to lure Chinese tourists

Malaysia is adopting a holistic approach to boost Chinese tourist arrivals, moving beyond traditional promotional methods to create an ecosystem that enhances visitors' experience.

Tourism Malaysia Director-General Manoharan Pariasamy told the press that the new approach includes deploying Chinese-proficient staff at key entry points, collaborating with airlines to offer direct flights from secondary and tertiary Chinese cities, partnering with educational institutions, and utilizing Chinese social media influencers.

He stressed that his agency is working with Chinese carriers such as Loong Air, China Eastern and China Southern to ensure seamless arrival experience for tourists.

Besides, help desks staffed with Chinese-speaking officers have been established to assist tourists with digital documents and entry procedures, providing a welcoming and efficient arrival experience.

He held that Malaysia’s large ethnic Chinese population will help Chinese tourists easily fit in and feel at home, making Malaysia more appealing.

Homestay programmes are being promoted to offer visitors an immersive cultural experience. They are being linked to education initiatives, with the families of Chinese students in Malaysia invited to visit and experience the Southeast Asian country firsthand.