To boost VM2026 arrivals, Malaysian tourism is stepping up its efforts in the Indian market.

In 2026, Malaysia has set the lofty goal of welcoming 21 lakh Indian tourists. As the nation gains significant momentum towards Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), Tourism Malaysia has launched a number of strategic efforts to accomplish this goal, highlighting the significance of the Indian outbound market.

At the Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) 2026 in Mumbai, where 75 Malaysian travel industry participants took part under the Tourism Malaysia Pavilion, Tourism Malaysia made a significant impression. Along with the Malaysia Convention and Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), the delegation included travel agencies, hoteliers, proprietors of tourism products, and tourism groups such as Tourism Melaka, Tourism Selangor, and Sabah Tourism. The official airline partner was Batik Air. The Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, headed the Malaysian delegation.

Tourism Malaysia organised a number of focused promotional events in conjunction with OTM 2026, including as the Malaysia MICE Seminar, the Malaysia Wedding Seminar in association with Wedding Sutra, and a Malaysia Food and Culture promotion at the Fairmont Mumbai. Through these efforts, Malaysia was positioned strategically in high-growth markets including MICE, destination weddings, and culinary tourism

A post-OTM sales mission and roadshow to Visakhapatnam, Coimbatore, and Bangalore from February 8–14, 2026, further enhanced Tourism Malaysia’s involvement in the Indian market after OTM 2026. Later this month, the tourism board will also take part in SATTE in New Delhi. These programs serve as a reminder of Malaysia’s sustained dedication to the Indian market and the accomplishment of Visit Malaysia 2026.

“Through these combined efforts, Tourism Malaysia remains firmly committed to strengthening our market presence and deepening strategic partnerships in India to drive higher visitor arrivals in the year ahead,” Datuk Manoharan said in response to the measures.

242 weekly direct flights from 14 Indian cities, with a weekly seat capacity of 46,157, boost Malaysia’s increasing accessibility from India to major Malaysian gateways like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Langkawi. Travel is made easier and the Indian market continues to grow because to this improved air connection.

Rekindled confidence in Malaysia as a top tourist destination is seen in the robust 14.6% increase in visitor arrivals from India after the implementation of the visa-free entrance policy for Indian nationals in December 2023, which reached over 1.6 million visitors in 2025. “Malaysia successfully achieved its 2025 tourism target with 42.2 million international visitor arrivals, representing an 11.2% increase compared to 2024,” Datuk Manoharan added. India is still one of our core supply markets, which has greatly aided in this accomplishment and will continue to be crucial as we step up our efforts to host Visit Malaysia in 2026. A strong calendar of significant and iconic events scheduled across the country under VM2026 has further increased travel confidence and accessibility, as has Malaysia’s continued visa-free entrance status for Indian people.

In order to boost bilateral tourism growth and establish Malaysia as a top travel destination for Indian tourists, Tourism Malaysia has renewed its commitment to collaborating closely with Indian airlines, travel trade stakeholders, and industry partners as we enter Visit Malaysia Year 2026.