Malaysian inbound players make moves to woo China tourists back

Travel agents in Malaysia ramp up focus on China market with a series of promotions lined up; Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia pictured

Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MITA) is working on several initiatives, including a live broadcasting event next month, to regain Chinese tourists’ interest to travel to Malaysia in the future.

MITA’s president, Uzaidi Udanis, shared that the association is working closely with its Chinese counterparts to host a three-hour event that will be broadcast live on a TV channel based in Shandong, China, to showcase Malaysia’s agro products and tour packages in a shopping programme.

Uzaidi elaborated: “The tour packages are for ‘buy now, travel later’ and it offers good discounts of up to 70 per cent, and a validity period until December 31, 2022.”

In addition, MITA is also developing a B2B marketplace platform to cater to the Chinese market, focusing on products not sold by OTAs in China, such as homestays and eco-tourism tours. The platform is expected to be operational next year.

Furthermore, MITA is working with Tourism Productivity Nexus (TPN) to run online one-on-one consultations with tourism players to help them tackle challenges during this period and spur them to adopt ‘new normal’ practices as they start down the path of recovery.

Uzaidi shared: “When the border reopens, we expect to get more FIT travellers from China and elsewhere. If there are groups, it will be small, private groups of extended family members or friends travelling together. Big bus loads of Chinese tourists holidaying together in groups will be a thing of the past.”

Trends going forward include experiential travel and nature-based tourism, and MITA members are readying to tap into these new trends, he added.

-TTG Asia.