Tourism Malaysia and online travel operator Tuniu.com have signed a memorandum of cooperation to work together in-depth to develop sustainable tourist products and promote Malaysia as a destination.
China is one of the major tourist source markets for Malaysia and Chinese travelers accounted for nearly 12 percent of Malaysia’s total inbound visitors in 2019, contributing 17.8 percent of the country’s total tourism revenue.
In 2019, a total of 2.11 million Chinese travelers visited Malaysia and the target is set at 3.5 million this year.
“China is a vital market for Malaysia,” said Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in Shanghai on Wednesday.
Tuniu.com launched a sustainable tourism strategic campaign early this year, joining with destinations and partners across the globe to raise awareness of sustainable travel amid the recovery of the global tourism market.
Malaysia offers high-tech cityscapes as well as its quieter coastal areas.
“Limited tourist resources make it imperative to improve the environment quality, and sustainable tourism development is important for the protection of tourist resources at destinations,” said Xin Shoudong, vice president of Tuniu.com.
“Malaysia boasts rich sustainable resources and is a perfect destination for hiking and cycling with its natural reserves and national parks.”
The online travel service operator will also support the promotion of destination resources targeting the Chinese market for Tourism Malaysia under the agreement, with a target of taking 40,000 Chinese travelers to Malaysia.
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia and Tourism Malaysia have recently embarked on roadshows in major cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing.
This year, Malaysia is targeting 16.1 million international tourist arrivals, with the focus on the leisure, education and health tourism markets.
Business matching sessions are being held to provide a platform for Malaysian industry players to reconnect with China given the long tourism hiatus caused by the COVID outbreak.
This year, Tourism Malaysia will intensify its promotions alongside travel agents and airlines.
At present, there are 81 flights per week from China to Malaysia and the country is optimistic that flight frequency will increase to boost connectivity between the two countries, Tourism Malaysia said.
Source: Shine