Malaysia focuses on attracting young Chinese tourists after missing 2024 target

AirAsia said traffic has increased by 75 per cent since the 30-day visa-free arrangement was announced in late 2023.

The carrier’s CEO Fareh Mazputra Fairuz said that while costs must always be considered, consumer experience is one of the key factors to success in its eyes.

“We are continuously looking at efforts in fuel conservation, lowering carbon emission and all those things. So definitely, sustainability in aviation is extremely important to us,” he added.

This also comes as Malaysia eyes more arrivals from India, Russia and the Middle East ahead of its Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign, which was officially launched by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday (Jan 6). The campaign’s logo was unveiled on the aircrafts of AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air.

The campaign has set an ambitious target of attracting 35.6 million tourists and generating US$33 billion in tourism receipts in 2026.

Meanwhile, experts said seamless online booking and payment systems have greatly facilitated travel between Malaysia and China.

“I think in Asia, to go smart – no cash, we all pay on our mobiles. And China in particular is very advanced in this area and we have very popular super apps like AliPay,” said Sarah Wang, regional director for Asia at the World Travel and Tourism Council – a forum for the travel and tourism industry.

“If I use my AliPay app and I come to Malaysia, it’s accepted. I don’t need to download another app. And that will really ease my travel,” she added.

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