Tourism Malaysia, in collaboration with state tourism bodies and the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA), embarked on a second series of sales missions to explore southern and eastern China between 26 and 30 August. 

This second mission sought to foster closer tourism ties and further explore potential leads from Shenzhen, Chongqing, Wuhan and Nanjing.

Tourism Malaysia’s deputy general director Lee Tai Hung led the delegation, together with Ng Suee Lim of the Selangor State Executive Council, Nicole Tan Lee Koon of the Negeri Sembilan State Executive Council, Tourism Perak CEO Nurmalis Musa, MICA president Angie Ng Wai Sam, and representatives from 78 tourism organisations and establishments.

Lee said of the mission: “Building on the momentum of the 30-day visa-free travel policy for Chinese citizens, which commenced on 1 December 2023, we aim to cultivate confidence and explore further collaborations to achieve pre-pandemic levels while showcasing the latest offerings to the Chinese market. Thus, this sales mission provides a platform for the industry community to gather, exchange ideas, and collaborate to bring more arrivals to Malaysia.”

As of June 2024, Malaysia has welcomed 1,449,711 arrivals from China, representing a significant 190.8 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. With the goal of attracting 27.3 million international arrivals and generating RM102.7 billion in tourism receipts in 2024, Malaysia aims to attract 5 million tourists from China by the end of this year.