Kuala lumpur: Nearly 1.8 million tourists from China visited Malaysia between January and May this year, following the introduction of a visa waiver for Chinese travellers. Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan reported a significant rise in Chinese tourist arrivals after the policy took effect in 2024, increasing from 1.6 million in 2023 to 3.4 million last year.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the ministry, in collaboration with the travel agency association, is actively carrying out various promotional initiatives to attract Chinese tourists, particularly Muslim travellers. One of the efforts includes inviting over 100 imams from China and Europe to experience Malaysia’s Muslim-friendly tourism concept, which is suitable for people of all backgrounds and religions. This was shared by Khairul Firdaus during the oral question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat, responding to a query from Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik regarding government initiatives to attract Muslim tourists from China.

Moreover, in response to a supplementary question from Wan Hassan Mohd Ramli on ensuring equitable benefits and economic spillovers to the east coast states, Khairul Firdaus mentioned that integrated promotions are being conducted through Tourism Malaysia and the Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC). These promotions aim to showcase attractions like the Crystal Mosque to markets in ASEAN, Europe, China, Japan, and South Korea. Such efforts are closely linked to the local community’s culture, promising spillover benefits for industries such as homestays, handicrafts, and traditional foods.