Tourism Malaysia Strengthens Presence In Turkmenistan With Destination Seminar In Ashgabat

 

Guest of Honour (from Left): Mr. Agamydrove Akynyyaz Agajumayevich, Head of Tourism Department, Ministry Culture of Turkmenistan, Ms. Yazmalina Yaacob, First Secretary, Embassy of Malaysia Turkmenistan, Ms. Gulshat Yazyevna, Deputy Head of Ministry of Culture Turkmenistan and Mr. Nor Shazly Azmi, Director of Tourism Malaysia Almaty.

ASHGABAT — Tourism Malaysia has reinforced its commitment to the Turkmen market by hosting its first dedicated industry engagement programme in Ashgabat, marking another important milestone in expanding Malaysia's presence across Central Asia and supporting the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign. 

Organised with the support of the Embassy of Malaysia in Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the programme brought together representatives from government agencies, airlines, travel companies, and the media to explore opportunities for expanding tourism exchanges between the two countries. 

The initiative comes shortly after the official visit of The Right Honourable Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, to Turkmenistan, during which both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across a number of strategic sectors. Building on this positive momentum, Tourism Malaysia continues to deepen its engagement with government institutions and key travel industry players to unlock new opportunities for strategic tourism partnerships and collaboration. 

Speaking at the event, Mr Nor Shazly Azmi, Director of the Tourism Malaysia Almaty Office, highlighted the growing importance of Turkmenistan within Tourism Malaysia's regional strategy. 

"Turkmenistan is an emerging market with strong long-term potential for Malaysia. The combination of direct air connectivity, close bilateral relations, and increasing interest in international travel creates a solid foundation for future growth. We are committed to working closely with our partners in Turkmenistan to build destination awareness, broaden industry partnerships, and encourage more travellers to choose Malaysia." 

As one of the world's leading Muslim-friendly destinations, Malaysia offers travellers from Turkmenistan a welcoming environment, extensive halal facilities, a rich Islamic heritage, and a diverse range of tourism experiences. These strengths are set to play an essential role in driving momentum and attracting more visitors in conjunction with the VM2026 campaign. 

Malaysia continues to see encouraging interest from the Turkmen market. In 2025, Malaysia welcomed 10,751 visitors from Turkmenistan, representing a 42.5 per cent increase compared to the 7,545 arrivals in the previous year. By recording 3,482 visitor arrivals as of May 2026, the nation continues to demonstrate the strong, long-term potential of this market. Furthermore, the direct air connectivity between Ashgabat and Kuala Lumpur remains a vital catalyst for tourism development, making travel significantly more accessible while creating new opportunities for leisure, business, and educational exchanges. 

The industry engagement programme also served as an excellent platform to enhance relationships with local travel trade partners, explore new collaborative initiatives, and share the latest developments in Malaysia's tourism offerings. Tourism Malaysia will continue to expand and implement its targeted promotional activities in Turkmenistan as part of its ongoing strategic efforts to drive international visitor arrivals from across the Central Asian region.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia And MyCEB Strengthen Presence In Central Asia Through Strategic Business Events Engagements

 

ALMATY & TASHKENT — The Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), with the support of Tourism Malaysia Almaty and the Embassy of Malaysia in the Republic of Uzbekistan, successfully organised the Malaysia Business Events Seminars in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 2 June 2026 and in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 4 June 2026, marking Malaysia’s inaugural business events engagements in both cities. The seminars brought together representatives from the tourism industry, corporate sector, event organisers and the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The engagements served as dedicated platforms to showcase Malaysia’s capabilities as a preferred destination for business events, conferences, exhibitions and incentive travel programmes. 

The opening and welcome remarks were delivered by Mr. Arhan Syafrisyah Shah Anuar, Counsellor of the Embassy of Malaysia to the Republic of Uzbekistan, on behalf of the Ambassador of Malaysia; Mr. Nor Shazly Azmi, Director of the Tourism Malaysia Almaty Office; and Mr. Edward Lim Chee Chong, Senior Manager of the Business Development Division at MyCEB. During both seminars, representatives from MyCEB and Tourism Malaysia highlighted Malaysia’s strengths as an international business events destination, including its well-developed infrastructure, modern hospitality sector, competitive pricing, efficient logistics and strong international air connectivity. Special emphasis was placed on Kuala Lumpur as one of Asia’s leading business events hubs, supported by a comprehensive ecosystem for meetings, conferences and exhibitions, as well as continued government support for the business events industry. 

Mr Nor Shazly Azmi, Director of Tourism Malaysia Almaty Office, said, “Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan continued to demonstrate encouraging growth as emerging markets for Malaysia. Improving air connectivity and expanding flight options between Central Asia and Malaysia made the destination increasingly accessible for both leisure and business travellers. These inaugural seminars in Almaty and Tashkent marked important milestones in strengthening tourism and business ties while showcasing Malaysia’s broader potential as a destination for corporate travel, incentive programmes and international events.” 

Meanwhile, Mr Edward Lim Chee Chong, Senior Manager of Business Development Division at MyCEB, said, “We saw significant potential for collaboration with Central Asian markets, particularly amid growing interest in Malaysia from the business tourism and corporate sectors across the region. Supported by modern infrastructure, strong international connectivity, government support and a diverse range of venues, Malaysia continued to offer highly competitive advantages for business events of all scales.” 

The seminar in Almaty also featured a tourism presentation by Ms Kamilla Chaldanbayeva, Marketing Officer of Tourism Malaysia Almaty, which showcased Malaysia’s tourism offerings for the Kazakhstan market, including leisure, family, luxury and business travel experiences. Participants were introduced to Malaysia’s offerings for conferences, corporate meetings and incentive programmes, alongside the growing potential of bleisure travel experiences that combine business and leisure tourism. The seminars also served as platforms for establishing new professional networks and exploring future collaboration opportunities between Malaysian and Central Asian tourism and business events industry players. 

The programmes highlighted the growing potential for cooperation between Malaysia and Central Asian countries in tourism, trade and business engagement, reflecting strengthening bilateral ties and increasing interest from both tourism and corporate sectors, in line with efforts under the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign. In 2025, Malaysia welcomed more than 43,000 visitors from Kazakhstan, making it the largest source market for Malaysia in Central Asia, while more than 20,000 visitors from Uzbekistan travelled to Malaysia, reflecting growing interest in the destination and strengthening people-to-people ties between the countries. Malaysia continues to strengthen connectivity with Central Asia through an expanding network of direct and connecting flights between Kuala Lumpur and the region. Current and upcoming routes include AirAsia X services between Kuala Lumpur and Almaty, direct flights operated by Uzbekistan Airways and Batik Air Malaysia between Kuala Lumpur and Tashkent, as well as Turkmenistan Airlines services connecting Kuala Lumpur and Ashgabat.

-Tourism Malaysia.

AirAsia X targets Central Asia in expansion push

 

SEPANG: Medium-haul low-cost carrier AirAsia X Bhd plans to focus its flight network expansion on Central Asia, citing strong market potential and the region's status as relatively underserved by commercial airlines. 

Chief executive officer Benyamin Ismail said the airline began flights to Almaty, Kazakhstan, in March last year and will launch a new route to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, this October. Another new destination is expected to be announced soon. 

"The Central Asian market is still underserved. Not many airlines fly there. For example, without AirAsia X, getting to Almaty could take up to 18 hours — with AirAsia X, it's just eight hours on a direct flight. 

"We're focusing on this region. We've started with Almaty, and another route is in development. We're also eyeing Turkiye, Azerbaijan and other Central Asian countries. Hopefully, this will eventually serve as a platform for expansion into Europe," he told reporters after launching the Kuala Lumpur–Tashkent route today.

Benyamin said Central Asia not only offers lower tourism costs but also rich historical and Islamic cultural value, making it attractive to Malaysian travellers.

He said the Tashkent route launch marked a strategic milestone in the airline's ongoing expansion across Asia and beyond.

"Central Asia holds great potential, with Uzbekistan's economy growing rapidly and a rising middle class keen to explore new destinations. 

"We've seen strong demand for Central Asia travel following the success of the Almaty route. 

"Our vision is to build a comprehensive network to support regional development, connect travellers to new destinations, and deliver unforgettable travel experiences," he said. 

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Malaysia, Karomidin Gadoev, said the launch of AirAsia X's direct flight to Tashkent was a significant development in Malaysia–Uzbekistan relations. 

"With Uzbekistan's rapidly growing tourism sector and Malaysia's strong position as a tourism and business hub in Southeast Asia, this route will enhance connectivity, boost tourism exchanges, and offer new investment opportunities. 

"We are delighted to welcome AirAsia X to this promising market and hope this collaboration yields positive results," he said. 

According to AirAsia X, promotional fares for the new route start from RM99 for economy seats, available for booking between June 23 and 29, for travel from Oct 15, 2025, to Sept 14, 2026. 

Located in the heart of Uzbekistan, the capital city of Tashkent is a rapidly developing destination known for its stunning Islamic architecture, bustling bazaars and lush green parks.

-nst online.

Tourism Malaysia Advances Promotional Effort In Central Asia Through Seminar And B2B Engagements In Uzbekistan

 

SAMARKAND 13 June 2025 - Tourism Malaysia is enhancing its Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) promotional campaign in Uzbekistan through strategic tourism seminars and business-to-business (B2B) sessions in Tashkent and Samarkand, taking place on 11 and 13 June 2025, respectively.

The initiative is to strengthen ties with the Uzbek travel trade partners and showcase Malaysia’s unique, diverse tourism offerings to this growing market in Central Asia, in collaboration with Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA) and Uzbekistan Airways, with representatives from Malaysia’s Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC).

The B2B sessions feature Malaysian sellers from MICA who are accredited with the ITC’s Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR), with the participation of Muslim-friendly tourism product providers, including operators of Islamic cruises and hoteliers offering Shariah-compliant services, presenting customised travel packages for the Central Asian market.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysia Sets The Stage For VM2026 At Kitf 2025, Drives Tourism Push In Central Asia

 

ALMATY, 23 April 2025 — Tourism Malaysia is set to enhance its promotional efforts in Central Asia through its participation in the 23rd Kazakhstan International Exhibition “Tourism and Travel” (KITF) 2025. This premier industry event will be held at the Atakent International Exhibition Centre in Almaty from 23 to 25 April 2025. 

KITF serves as a vital platform for strengthening Malaysia’s presence in the Central Asian market and showcasing its latest tourism offerings and developments. This year’s participation is particularly significant as Malaysia builds momentum towards Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), which aims to highlight Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage, diverse tourism attractions, and unique experiences, with target this year of 45.0 million international visitors and RM270 billion in visitor receipts. 

The official launch of the VM2026 campaign at Malaysia’s Pavilion at KITF 2025 is officiated by H.E. Mohd Adli Abdullah, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Republic of Kazakhstan, alongside Mr Nor Shazly Azmi, Director of the Tourism Malaysia Almaty. The Malaysian delegation comprises key industry players, including tour operators, tourism service providers, hotels, and airlines, such as Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), AirAsia X, Ormond Group Malaysia, Bella Vista Waterfront Langkawi, Fun & Sun Holidays, Embassy Alliance Travel, Nur Aero Travel Tech, Asia Premium Holidays, and Parlo Tours. 

Mr Nor Shazly emphasised Kazakhstan’s growing importance as a source market: “Kazakhstan is a significant and rapidly growing tourism market for Malaysia within Central Asia. In 2024, Malaysia welcomed 39,159 visitor arrivals from Kazakhstan. Other key markets contributing to arrivals to Malaysia encompassed Uzbekistan (19,835), the Kyrgyz Republic (6,167), Tajikistan (2,537), and Turkmenistan (7,545).” 

“AirAsia X currently operates direct flights between Almaty and Kuala Lumpur four times a week, providing up to 1,140 seats weekly. With AirAsia X’s plan to increase this frequency to five times weekly from 2 July to 22 October 2025, it will improve accessibility and underscore the strong potential for collaboration between tourism industry players from Malaysia, Kazakhstan, and other Central Asian nations.” Travel trade partners attending KITF 2025 are invited to the Malaysia Pavilion to explore tailored travel packages showcasing Malaysia’s stunning islands and beaches, ecotourism adventures, and rich cultural experiences. Attendees can also participate in an exciting lucky draw for a chance to win fantastic prizes.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia participated in the Tashkent International Travel Fair 2024

 

Tourism Malaysia has participated in the Tashkent International Travel Fair 2024 which took place in the city of Tashkent, Uzbekistan starting from 21 to 23 November 2024. A total of 9 companies from Malaysia consisting of hotels, travel agents, product owners, and airlines have been involved in this exhibition.

For the first time this exhibition was held in a new location at the Central Asian Expo Uzbekistan (CAEx) and this exhibition is the main tourism exhibition in Uzbekistan and Central Asia as a whole. The theme of the exhibition this time is Tourism On the Silk Road has featured tourism bodies from 19 countries and has received more than 20 thousand visitors throughout the 3 days of the exhibition.

This exhibition involves B2B during the first 2 days and B2C on the last day of the exhibition. This opportunity was fully utilized by industry players from Malaysia to meet new tourism business partners to promote Malaysia in Uzbekistan.

Tourism Malaysia’s pavilion was inaugurated by the Chairman of The Tourism Committee of Uzbekistan on 21 November 2024. Tourism Malaysia’s pavilion was also visited by the Malaysian Ambassador to Uzbekistan on the first day of the exhibition. Tourism Malaysia has received the award as Most Colorful Exhibition Stand from the organizers.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia Enhances Presence At KITF 2024 In Kazakhstan

 

ALMATY, 24 April 2024 – Tourism Malaysia gears up its promotion in Central Asia by participating in the 22nd Kazakhstan International Exhibition “Tourism and Travel” (KITF) 2024, scheduled from 24 to 26 April 2024 at the Atakent International Exhibition Centre in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

This three-day event serves as a vital platform to strengthen Malaysia's presence in the Central Asia market and to provide updates on recent advancements and tourism development in Malaysia, particularly as Malaysia aims to welcome 35.6 million international tourist arrivals with projected tourism receipts of RM147.1 billion for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

The opening ceremony for Malaysia’s pavilion was attended by H.E. Mohd Adli Abdullah, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Republic of Kazakhstan, along with Mr. Nor Shazly Azmi, Director of Tourism Malaysia Almaty Office. The Malaysian delegation comprises tour operators, destination management companies (DMCs), tourism-related services, and airlines including Air Asia X Berhad, Embassy Alliance Travel, Fun & Sun Holidays, Asia Premium Holidays, and Menara Kuala Lumpur.

Mr. Nor Shazly highlighted that Kazakhstan remains one of the important and emerging tourism source markets in Central Asia, contributing 8,298 tourist arrivals to Malaysia in 2023. Packages focusing on islands and beaches, ecotourism, and cultural experiences will be promoted during the fair.

Other top markets generating tourist arrivals to Malaysia include Uzbekistan (12,157), Kyrgyzstan (2,425), Tajikistan (1,146), and Turkmenistan (1,071). In 2023, Malaysia welcomed a total of 20.14 million international tourists, generating RM71.3 billion in tourism receipts.

“With Air Asia X providing four direct flights per week to Malaysia and with a capacity of 1,140 passengers per week, it serves as the perfect gateway for travellers to explore Malaysia’s diverse tourism offerings and highlights the scope for collaboration between tourism travel players in Malaysia and Kazakhstan,” Mr Nor Shazly added.

Visitors can explore Malaysia’s rich tapestry of offerings tailored for the Kazakhstan market at Tourism Malaysia’s booth at Pavilion 10, Stands 10-40. Visitors also have the opportunity to participate in an exciting lucky draw for a chance to win incredible prizes such as return flight tickets from Almaty to Kuala Lumpur, accommodation, and merchandise from Tourism Malaysia and Air Asia.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysia Welcomes Inaugural AirAsia X Flight From Almaty To Kuala Lumpur

 

SEPANG, 15th March 2024 – Dr. Yasmeen Yasim, Deputy Secretary General (Tourism) of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) welcomed passengers and cabin crew of flight D7 601, the inaugural AirAsia X flight arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 2) from Almaty, Kazakhstan, alongside Mr. Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, and representatives from AirAsia X and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB).

This new four-times-weekly direct flight operates with an Airbus A330-300 with a seating capacity of 285, and departs every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. It signifies a significant milestone in enhancing tourist traffic between the two destinations and improving connectivity from other international continents via Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan.

According to Tourism Malaysia, Kazakhstan is the third Central Asian country to offer direct flights to Kuala Lumpur, following Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, which have also initiated direct flight services from Tashkent and Ashgabat respectively.

From January to December 2023, Malaysia welcomed 8,298 arrivals from Kazakhstan, reflecting a 37.1% decrease compared to the same period in 2019, which saw 18,138 arrivals. However, with the newly commenced direct flights by AirAsia X, a positive trend in traffic is forecasted, simultaneously contributing to an increase in tourist arrivals.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Malaysia Welcomes Turkmenistan Airlines' Inaugural Flight From Ashgabat To Kuala Lumpur Expanding Central Asian Connectivity

 

SEPANG, 15 February 2024 – Tourism Malaysia and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) joyously welcome the inaugural flight of Turkmenistan Airlines from Ashgabat to Kuala Lumpur. This marks the second airline from Central Asia to offer direct flights to Kuala Lumpur.

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing and Ambassador of Turkmenistan in Malaysia, His Excellency, Mr Muhammetnyyaz Mashalov, along with representatives from Turkmenistan Airlines, graced the occasion, joining the 228 passengers on their arrival. The aircraft received a grand water cannon salute while models adorned in the national costumes of both countries greeted the passengers.

The twice-weekly scheduled flights are operated by Boeing 777-200LR/777-300ER aircraft, boasting seating capacities of 289 and 368, respectively. Departing from Ashgabat every Wednesday and Thursday, this new connectivity is poised to significantly enhance arrivals from Central Asia and Russia, facilitating seamless travel between regions. 

The flight duration from Ashgabat to Kuala Lumpur is a mere 8 hours and 10 minutes, offering passengers swift and convenient access to Malaysia's vibrant capital.

In line with the commitment to expanding tourism accessibility, Tourism Malaysia is actively pursuing strategic collaborations with international airlines, aiming to stimulate increased travel demand from Central Asia through innovative partnerships and initiatives. This effort aligns with Malaysia's target of welcoming 35.6 million tourists during Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

In the period from January to November 2023, Malaysia experienced a notable surge in tourism from Central Asia, welcoming a total of 21,910 tourists, reflecting a remarkable 196.7% increase compared to 2022. 

Concurrently, arrivals from Russia also soared, with Malaysia hosting 100,645 Russian visitors during the same period. This represents a staggering 360% surge from 2022 and a notable 39.5% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia Continues Its Promotion To Central Asia Market At KITF 2022 In Kazakhstan

 

ALMATY, 20 April 2022 – Tourism Malaysia is participating in the 20th Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair (KITF) 2022, which has been held since 2001. The exhibition starts from 20 to 22 April 2022 to serve as a wide-ranging professional platform for the tourism industry of the whole Central Asian Region.

The three-day fair in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan highlights the promotion of the full reopening of Malaysia's borders for the first time after nearly two years of COVID-19 pandemic-related closures. As Malaysia begins to transition into an endemic phase starting 1 April 2022, it is targeting to attract 2 million international tourist arrivals this year with more than RM8.6 billion in tourism receipts. Joining Tourism Malaysia at the Malaysian Pavilion are JPS Travel & Tours and Embassy Alliance Travel.

Prior to the pandemic, Kazakhstan is one of the main generating markets from CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries. In 2019, Kazakhstan has brought in a total of 18,138 tourists to Malaysia, which was an increase of 10.2% compared to 13,861 tourists in 2018. Tourism Malaysia's participation is a continuous effort to promote and inform the market that Malaysia is now ready to welcome back tourists from CIS countries.

“We hope that our participation in this exhibition will trigger back the interest of the tourists from CIS to Malaysia. At the same time, we welcome cooperation from all agents to market Malaysia and urge the CIS-based airlines to resume the scheduled flights and to initiate the charter flights to Malaysia,” said Dato’ Hj. Zainuddin B. Abdul Wahab, the Director General of Tourism Malaysia.

-Tourism Malaysia.

Kazakhstan-Langkawi special chartered flights will boost VMY 2020

photo: Langkawi Development Authority fb

LANGKAWI, Dec 28 -- Three special chartered flights by Kompas Tour from Almaty, Kazakhstan to Langkawi are expected to boost the Visit Malaysia Year 2020 campaign to the duty-free resort island.

Today's seven-hour special chartered flight by a Boeing 757-200 Sunday Airlines, with 235 passengers on board, arrived at the Langkawi International Airport (LIA) at 10.30 am.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Musa Yusof said the initiative would boost the number of tourists from Kazakhstan to Malaysia, which registered 13,912 visitors as of September 2019, an increase of 33.6 per cent over the same period last year.

“The Kompas Tour special chartered flight is a collaboration between Tourism Malaysia, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Embassy Alliance Travel (M) Sdn Bhd and Kompas Tour, which is one of the leading travel agencies in the Central Asia.

“The next flight after this will be on Jan 4 and 12. The three flights combined would bring a total 705 passengers. We hope the Almaty-Langkawi route will be well-received in Kazakhstan and Central Asia and, subsequently, special chartered flights will continue to grow especially to this island,” he said.

Musa was speaking to reporters after welcoming the arrival of the first Kompas Tour special chartered flight here today.

Also present were LADA chief executive officer Dr Hezri Adnan, Syarikat Penerbangan MAHB manager of airline marketing Mohamed Sallauddin Mohamed Shah and Ayer Hangat State Assemblyman Juhari Bulat.

Musa explained that the flights from Kazakhstan to Langkawi would not only bring tourists from Kazakhstan but also from its neighbouring countries in Central Asia such as Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

“Our promotion in Kazakhstan is not only to attract tourists from that country but also its nearby neighbours following the increasing number of tourists from Central Asia to Malaysia every year. The people of Central Asia have the means to visit abroad so we take this opportunity to introduce this country to them,'’ he said.

Meanwhile, Hezri said the strategic cooperation carried out by Tourism Malaysia and Kompas Tour had boosted the number of tourists from Central Asia.

‘’The Central Asian market is very big. This collaboration has opened a new market for Langkawi. For the record, Kompas Tour has brought in 461 tourists through two special chartered flights from Almaty in January this year. We laud this co-operation which has benefited Langkawi through the presence of tourists from Central Asia, ‘’ he added.

-bernama.

Tourism Malaysia targeting 23,000 tourists from Kazakhstan in 2017

Tourism Malaysia is targeting 23,000 tourist arrivals to Malaysia from

the Republic of Kazakhstan this year after recording

a total of 10,717 arrivals from the Central Asia country last year.

ASTANA: Tourism Malaysia is targeting 23,000 tourist arrivals to Malaysia from the Republic of Kazakhstan this year after recording a total of 10,717 arrivals from the Central Asia country last year.

Deputy Minister of Tourism and Culture, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said Tourism Malaysia has committed to attract more tourists from Kazakhstan as well as from other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

“We realised that there’s a very huge potential market to promote Malaysia in CIS countries. Tourists from this part of the world have a higher spending and purchasing power especially those from Kazakhstan,” she said at a press conference after the official launch of Shopping and Holiday Packages, here today.

The packages highlight Malaysia as a shopping haven with unique cultural attractions, breath-taking islands and beaches and a vibrant urban atmosphere. There are also special packages to promote education tourism in Malaysia.

The packages start from US$690 to US$1078 with return flights from Almaty, Kazakhstan to Kuala Lumpur (KL), return domestic flights in Malaysia, accommodation, sightseeing programs and airport transfer.

Mas Ermieyati said about 1000 of the Shopping and Holiday packages, worth US$1.32 million, are expected to be sold in Kazakhstan from July to November this year.

She said the launch of the packages are expected to help boost the tourist arrival numbers to Malaysia from Kazakhstan as well as Malaysia’s political and economic stability, favourable currency exchange rate and various tourism offerings and attractions.

“There is also good connectivity between Malaysia and Kazakhstan with Air Astana providing a total of three weekly flights from Almaty to KL,” she added.

Air Astana is the national airline of Kazakhstan.

Last year, Malaysia recorded a total of 26.8 million tourist arrivals with RM82.1 billion in tourist receipts.

This year, the target is to welcome 31.8 million tourists and RM180 billion receipts, said Kazakhstan, who is spearheading a Malaysian delegation to Malaysia Tourism and Business week from July 10 to 14, 2017 in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana.

The visit is in conjunction with Malaysia’s participation in the Astana Expo 2017 from June to September 2017.

-nst online.

Tarik pelancong Asia Tengah

Zainol Mohd. Isa (dua dari kanan) bersama Ulungbek Yunusov (tiga dari kiri)
memotong kek sempena pesawat baharu Uzbekistan,
di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

SEPANG 31 Mac – Pengenalan pesawat Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner oleh Uzbekistan Airways untuk laluan Tashkent-Kuala Lumpur hari ini bakal melonjakkan kemasukan pelancong dari Asia Tengah ke negara ini.

Pengurus Besar Kanan Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Sdn. Bhd., Zainol Mohd. Isa berkata, penggunaan pesawat baharu itu turut akan memberi manfaat kepada kerjasama ekonomi Malaysia-Uzbekistan serta memperkembangkan hu­bungan kebudayaan dan kemanusiaan kedua-dua negara.

“Malaysia pertama kali menerima kemasukan Uzbekis­tan Airways adalah di Lapa­ngan Terbang Subang pada 1992 bagi laluan Tashkent-Kuala Lumpur. Kini sudah 25 tahun kita menjalankan hubungan perniagaan ini dan hubungan tersebut kian meningkat.

“Malah, pada tahun lalu kita menyaksikan peningkatan sebanyak 3.5 peratus pergerakan trafik penumpang dari Asia Tengah ke KLIA,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas majlis sambutan pesawat baharu Uzbekistan, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner laluan Tashkent-Kuala Lumpur di sini hari ini.

Yang turut hadir, Kaunselor Hal Ehwal Perdagangan dan Ekonomi Kedutaan Republik Uzbekistan, Ulungbek Yunusov.

Pesawat Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner milik Uzbekistan Airways mampu memuatkan sebanyak 246 penumpang dan akan berkhidmat pada laluan Tashkent-Kuala Lumpur sebanyak dua kali seminggu.

Dalam pada itu, Zainol berkata, pada permulaan bulan ini, sebanyak dua syarikat pe­nerbangan telah memasuki KLIA iaitu Cathay Dragon Airlines dari Hong Kong dan US-Bangla Airlines dari Bangladesh.

Katanya, MAHB berharap lebih banyak syarikat penerbangan beroperasi di KLIA dan mempertingkatkan perkhidmatan mereka ke Kuala Lumpur.

“Sasaran kita adalah untuk menjadikan KLIA sebagai hab pilihan ASEAN yang menawarkan sambungan terbaik kepada penumpang serta memberi mereka pengalaman perjalanan yang lancar.

“Ke arah itu, kita akan te­rus komited dalam membina hubungan yang erat dengan syarikat-syarikat penerbangan dalam usaha menyokong pertumbuhan mereka,” katanya.

-utusan online.