Malaysia opens its doors wider for Indian tourists; Appeals to visit Langkawi, Penang, and Sarawak along with Kuala Lumpur

'Visit Malaysia 2026' extended until 2027; Grand 'Sales Mission' in Mumbai to attract Indian tourists

Mumbai, Aug 17, 2026: Recognizing the growing importance of the Indian market in the international tourism sector, 'Tourism Malaysia' has accelerated its expansion to attract Indian tourists. The duration of the 'Visit Malaysia 2026' campaign has now been extended to 2027. Under this initiative, a grand 'Sales Mission Series 2' has been organized across major Indian cities—Chennai, Mumbai, and New Delhi—between August 12 and August 20, 2026. Through this campaign, the goal is to encourage Indian tourists to explore Malaysia's scenic, historical, and cultural destinations beyond just the traditional Kuala Lumpur and Genting Highlands.

Led by Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, and organized in collaboration with 'Batik Air', this trade initiative sees participation from 47 Malaysian tourism stakeholders, including travel operators, hoteliers, and airline representatives. Currently, there are over 190 direct flights operating weekly between India and Malaysia, providing a weekly capacity of more than 37,000 passengers.

Sharing details about this initiative, Mr. Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, said, "India is the most important and fastest-growing market for Tourism Malaysia. Given the evolving international travel landscape, we are committed to ensuring Malaysia remains the top choice for Indian tourists. Beyond Kuala Lumpur, destinations like Sarawak, Langkawi, Penang, Johor, and Sabah hold immense potential. These locations serve as excellent choices for nature, adventure tourism, island hopping, cultural heritage, shopping, as well as destination weddings and business conferences."

Following the introduction of visa-free entry for Indian citizens in December 2023, more than 1.5 million Indian tourists visited Malaysia in 2025. Consequently, India has joined the top five international source markets for Malaysia, alongside Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and China. To maintain this positive momentum through 2026 and 2027, special and competitive travel packages are being introduced.