TOURISM MALAYSIA DEEPENS SOUTH INDIA ENGAGEMENT THROUGH SALES MISSION SERIES 2
CHENNAI – Tourism Malaysia strengthened its engagement with the South Indian travel trade through the Chennai leg of its Sales Mission Series 2, held at Hyatt Regency Chennai, bringing together 47 Malaysian tourism stakeholders and more than 150 local travel trade participants for business networking, destination updates and discussions on new opportunities to grow travel to Malaysia.
Organised by Tourism Malaysia in collaboration with Batik Air, the Chennai engagement brought together Malaysian tour operators, hoteliers and airline partners who connected directly with Indian travel agents and tour operators. The programme provided a platform for business-to-business (B2B) interaction, product exchange and networking, while giving Malaysian tourism stakeholders an opportunity to better understand the evolving preferences and requirements of the South Indian market.
The mission was led by Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, who highlighted India's continued importance as a key source market for Malaysia.
“India continues to be an important market for Malaysia, and South India has tremendous potential for further growth. Our direct engagement with the travel trade is important as it enables us to understand the market better, strengthen business relationships and work together to develop products that respond to the changing preferences of Indian travellers,” said Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim.
He added that Malaysia's diverse tourism offerings provide opportunities to cater to a broad range of Indian travellers, from family and leisure holidays to premium travel, MICE, destination weddings and special-interest tourism.
The Chennai programme was graced by the Consul General of Malaysia in Chennai as Chief Guest, highlighting the important role of tourism in strengthening people-to-people ties and business connections between Malaysia and India.
“Tourism remains an important bridge between Malaysia and India, bringing people and businesses together while creating opportunities for greater cultural and economic interaction. The strong participation of the local travel trade at this programme demonstrates the continued interest in Malaysia and the potential for deeper cooperation between the tourism industries of both countries,” said the Consul General of Malaysia in Chennai.
Speaking on the South Indian market, Mr. Hishamuddin Mustafa, Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai, highlighted the region's strong connectivity and its importance to Malaysia's tourism growth.
“South India is a very important market for Malaysia, supported by strong travel demand and convenient air connectivity. We currently have 119 weekly flights with 20,548 seats from South India, providing travellers with greater accessibility to Malaysia and giving our trade partners a strong foundation to develop and sell Malaysia holidays,” He added that the response from the Chennai travel trade reflected growing interest in expanding the range of Malaysian destinations and experiences offered to Indian travellers.
“Malaysia has much more to offer beyond the familiar destinations. Penang, Langkawi, Sabah, Sarawak and Johor provide excellent opportunities for the trade to develop fresh itineraries around islands, nature and adventure, culture and heritage, gastronomy, shopping, family attractions, MICE and destination weddings. Our objective is to work with our partners to bring these diverse experiences to more travellers from South India,” he said.
The event featured presentations and direct networking between Malaysian tourism suppliers and local travel trade partners, enabling participants to receive updates on destinations, attractions, accommodation, connectivity and tourism products. A lucky draw was also conducted during the programme, adding an engaging element to the evening and further encouraging interaction among participants.
The strong turnout from the Chennai travel trade reflects the continued interest in Malaysia as a preferred destination, supported by regular connectivity from key South Indian gateways including Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, and Kochi.
Malaysia welcomed more than 1.5 million visitor arrivals from India in 2025, following the introduction of visa-free travel for Indian nationals in December 2023. With the Visit Malaysia campaign extended through 2027, Tourism Malaysia Chennai will continue working closely with the South Indian travel trade and airline partners through sales missions, roadshows, product presentations and other industry engagement programmes.
These initiatives will focus on strengthening trade partnerships, expanding awareness of Malaysia's diverse destinations and encouraging more travellers from South India to explore the country beyond conventional holiday itineraries.
