KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — Nearly 1.8 million tourists from China visited Malaysia between January and May this year, following the introduction of a visa waiver for Chinese travellers.
Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan said that after the policy took effect last year, Chinese tourist arrivals rose significantly from 1.6 million in 2023 to 3.4 million in 2024.
He said the ministry, in collaboration with travel agencies, has activated various promotions to attract Chinese tourists, especially Muslim travellers.
“Among these efforts, we invited more than 100 imams from China and Europe to experience first-hand Malaysia’s Muslim-friendly tourism, which is, in fact, suitable for people of all backgrounds and religions,” he said during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (Harapan-Balik Pulau), who asked about the government’s initiatives to attract Muslim tourists from China.
Meanwhile, in his reply to a supplementary question from Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli (PN-Dungun) on how the ministry will ensure equitable benefits and economic spillover to east coast states, Khairul Firdaus said integrated promotions are being conducted through Tourism Malaysia and the Islamic Tourism Centre to showcase attractions such as the Crystal Mosque to the Asean, European, Chinese, Japanese and South Korean markets.
“However, it is closely linked to the culture of the local community, and when we are able to promote these elements, it will create spillover benefits for industries such as homestays, handicrafts, and traditional foods,” Khairul Firdaus said.
