Tourism Malaysia Expands India Trade Engagement with ‘Sales Mission to India – Series 2’
Tourism Malaysia strengthened its India outreach with the second city event of its ‘Sales Mission to India – Series 2’ in Mumbai on August 17, 2026. The three-city mission, running from August 12 to 20 and concluding in New Delhi, brings together 40 Malaysian tourism industry players, including hotels, tour operators and airlines. Organised in partnership with Batik Air under the Visit Malaysia 2026 initiative, the programme aims to strengthen B2B engagement, networking and business opportunities between Malaysian and Indian tourism stakeholders.
Tourism Malaysia Director General Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim is leading the initiative, reaffirming India’s importance as one of Malaysia’s fastest-growing source markets. He emphasised the need for continuous, focused and market-driven promotion in partnership with the travel trade and airline sector to maintain Malaysia’s strong position among Indian travellers.
Tourism Malaysia is also encouraging Indian travel businesses to develop competitive packages covering destinations beyond popular gateways such as Kuala Lumpur and Genting Highlands. Sarawak, Langkawi, Penang, Johor and Sabah are being promoted for their diverse offerings, including nature, adventure, island holidays, cultural experiences, gastronomy, shopping, family attractions, MICE and destination weddings. Expanding promotion to these destinations is expected to encourage longer stays, higher visitor spending and repeat travel.
The Mumbai event was led by Haryanty Abu Bakar, Director of Tourism Malaysia Mumbai, along with Marketing Manager Jane D’Cruz and the Mumbai team. Representatives from the Malaysian Indian Travel and Tours Association (MITTA) and the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) also participated.
A key highlight of Tourism Malaysia’s Mumbai outreach is the ‘CHALO MALAYSIA’ Mumbai Metro Branding Campaign, which runs from August 10 to September 10, 2026, on Mumbai Metro Line 1 (Blue Line). The month-long campaign transforms the metro into a moving showcase of Malaysia’s tourism attractions and is designed to reach around 500,000 daily commuters across areas including MIDC, SEEPZ, Saki Naka and Andheri.
The campaign targets corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, students, families and young urban travellers. It promotes destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, Perak, Genting Highlands, Sabah and Sarawak, while highlighting leisure holidays, family vacations, luxury travel, shopping, adventure tourism, cuisine, MICE and destination weddings. Special Malaysia holiday packages starting from INR 11,000 are also being promoted, subject to applicable terms and conditions.
Malaysia has benefited from visa-free travel for Indian nationals since December 2023 and welcomed more than 1.5 million Indian visitors in 2025, placing India among its top five international source markets. In the first half of 2026, Malaysia recorded 738,709 Indian visitors, compared with 807,664 during the same period in 2025.
Despite the moderation, Tourism Malaysia plans to intensify engagement with airlines, travel trade partners, media and tourism stakeholders across India. With strong air connectivity and easier travel facilitation, Malaysia aims to sustain visitor growth and strengthen its position as a preferred short-haul destination for Indian travellers through the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign.
