Mumbai: As Malaysia saw record-breaking inflow of Indian tourists in 2024, it has extended its Visa-free policy for Indians till 2026, which will be celebrated as Visit Malaysia year. Tourism Malaysia’s Director General Datuk Manoharan Periasamy spoke to Free Press Journal’s Dhairya Gajara during his recent visit to Mumbai. Excerpts from the interview:
Q. What is the current status of the growth of Malaysian Tourism?
A. After the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, there was a global slowdown in tourism due to lockdowns. Many markets started showing recovery in 2023 and for us, China and India were the first countries to surpass the 2019 figures. Notably Indian tourists crossed the mark of 1 million for the first time in 2024 with over 1.1 million tourists till the end of the year.
Q. What initiatives are being executed by Tourism Malaysia to increase Indian tourists?
A. We have been constantly supported by the positive and friendly policies implemented by the government. The liberalisation of visas for China and India has become a catalyst for the tourism movement. We are working to introduce new destinations and packages that can appease more Indians. We are ready to work harder and collaborate with more industry players to encourage Malaysia as a preferable holiday destination for Indian tourists.
Q. What are the new attractions for Indian tourists wanting to visit Malaysia?
A. After Covid-19, we realised that Indians are attracted towards lesser-known and off-beat destinations. They are no longer interested in sight-seeing but want an experience of the country. We would also like to tap on Indian weddings and showcase Malaysia as the perfect destination for their weddings. Although a lot of Indian corporations are coming to Malaysia for professional conferences, we are trying to bring varied experiences for them so that they experience the country even on their business trips.
Q. After the recently launched Chennai-Penang flight, which new air routes are expected?
A. Aviation sector has shown positive indicators to us. There are multiple flights from India flying directly to Malaysia. Apart from Chennai to Penang, Indigo also started a flight from Bangalore to Langkawi. We are working with other airlines to start direct flights from Tier 2 cities of India to not only Kuala Lumpur but Joho, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. We are eyeing on more flights from Hyderabad as well as Pune.
Q. What are your expectations from India for Visit Malaysia Year 2026?
A. After an amazing response from Indians in 2024, we are expecting 1.5 million to 1.6 million Indian tourists in 2025 and in 2026, which will be celebrated as the Visit Malaysia year. For 2026, we can even expect to reach close to 2 million Indian tourists.
Q. What efforts are we putting into introducing Malaysian cuisine to Indians?
A. Malaysian food shares many similarities with Indian food, mostly due to the latter’s influence on it. The influence can be seen on many local dishes including Malaysian curries which share the spice element with India. We recently hosted a week-long Malaysian Food Festival in Mumbai’s JW Marriott. Similar food festivals will be hosted across the country in most of the major Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities.
