Nearly 1.8 million tourists from China visited Malaysia between January and May this year, after the visa exemption for Chinese visitors was approved.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Khairul Firdaus Akhbar Khan said that after the policy came into effect in 2024, Chinese tourist arrivals would increase significantly from 1.6 million in 2023 to 3.4 million last year.
He added that the ministry, in collaboration with the travel agency association, was actively carrying out various promotional initiatives to attract Chinese tourists, especially Muslims.
They are in the process of inviting more than 100 imams from China and Europe to experience Malaysia's Muslim-friendly tourism concept for all backgrounds and religions.
Meanwhile, the ministry's strategy is to ensure equitable benefits and economic spillovers to the east coast states while promoting integratedly through Tourism Malaysia and the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) to showcase attractions such as the Crystal Mosque to the ASEAN, European, South Korean and Japanese markets.
However, it is closely linked to the culture of the local community when it can promote elements and benefits to industries such as homestays, handicrafts and traditional food.
