PETALING JAYA: Tourism stakeholders are urging Malaysia to refocus its tourism strategy on short-haul Asian markets, saying the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East has begun to deter Muslim and European visitors. Leong urged the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry to step up promotions in China and through transit points in Thailand and Singapore. Indonesia added 10 new scheduled routes, while Singapore contributed five scheduled and two charter services. Ng said China remains Malaysia’s strongest growth market, with arrivals reaching 4,661,878 in 2025 – up 25.1% from 2024 and 40% higher than in 2019. Malaysian Tourism Federation president Dr Sri Ganesh Michiel also called for a recalibration of Malaysia’s tourism strategy in light of the Middle East conflict.

Source: The Star March 20, 2026 11:35 UTC