Malaysia’s tourism sector is set for significant growth with the launch of 10 new international flight routes connecting key destinations across the country. Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing announced that these new routes will link Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru, Kota Kinabalu, Langkawi, and Penang with destinations in Vietnam, India, Thailand, South Korea, and China.
The first route kicks off on Nov 28 with Vietjet’s daily direct flights between Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur, followed by Indigo Airlines’ debut in Malaysia by mid-December, introducing three new routes connecting Bengaluru to Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi, and Chennai to Penang.
Other new routes include Batik Air’s daily flights between Bangkok and Johor Baru, AirAsia’s three weekly flights from Saigon to Kota Kinabalu, and Malaysia Airlines’ five weekly flights from Kolkata to Kuala Lumpur. Additional routes by Shanghai Airlines, Jiangxi Airlines, and Jeju Air will further boost international arrivals.
These routes are expected to add 50 international flights weekly and increase Malaysia’s weekly maximum passenger capacity to nearly 620,000, enabling multiple states to benefit from the tourism market.
Meanwhile, Tourism Malaysia has voiced its strong support for Batik Air’s new direct flight route from Bangkok to Johor Baru, launched on Dec 1. Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director-General of Tourism Malaysia, emphasized the importance of strengthening connectivity between Asean regions and second-tier cities.
“This initiative aligns with our goals of advancing Asean cooperation and regional tourism while emphasising Malaysia’s dedication as it assumes the Asean Chairmanship in 2025,” said Manoharan.
The new route, operating seven flights per week, is supported by a familiarisation trip for Thailand tour agents to promote Johor’s diverse tourism offerings.
As of October 2024, Malaysia has already welcomed over 20.5 million international tourists, surpassing 2023’s total of 20.14 million. With these enhanced flight connections, the nation aims to achieve greater milestones and re-establish itself as a leading global tourist destination.