By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 11: Malaysia is looking to strengthen its tourism ties with Australia through collaboration with major travel players to tap into the pilgrimage, transit, and dive tourism markets.
Malaysia’s Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Dato Seri Tiong King Sing, stated that this was discussed during his working visit to Australia, where representatives from Malaysia Airlines, Sam’s Travel & Tours, and Haram Travel met to explore the potential for resource integration and joint efforts to promote bilateral tourism growth.
On the Malaysian Airlines side were its regional manager for Australia and New Zealand, PK Lee, and marketing manager Melinda Voon, while Sam’s Travel & Tours and Haram Travel were represented by General Manager Jawwad Hussain and Director Kamran Waheed, respectively.
In a Facebook post, Tiong pointed out that Malaysia holds a dual advantage as both a transit hub and a leisure destination, expressing hope that the three parties could work together to develop travel packages for Australian pilgrims transiting through Kuala Lumpur en route to Mecca for Hajj and Umrah.
The Bintulu MP also encouraged the incorporation of flexible and attractive packages that combine free and independent travel, Muslim-friendly tourism, and multi-destination options across Southeast Asia.
During discussions, he mentioned that Jawwad had noted Malaysia’s existing role as an essential transit point in Sam’s Travel & Tours’ itineraries, with plans to develop related packages further.
“He affirmed Malaysia’s appeal to Muslim travellers beyond pilgrimage, saying that combining spiritual and leisure elements in one trip would be particularly well-received. He also acknowledged the positive experience working with Malaysia Airlines thus far,” said Tiong, who is also the assemblyman for Dudong.
Tiong added that according to data, Australia has a Muslim population of approximately 820,000, indicating significant market potential. Malaysia Airlines could collaborate with travel agents to offer stopover packages, enabling travellers to stay in Malaysia for a few nights before or after their pilgrimage, or even en route to Europe.
Additionally, he said, Malaysia Airlines clarified that there are no restrictions on stopover durations and that they offer domestic flight combinations.
Furthermore, their weekly flight frequency will increase from the current 53 to 74 by December, and they are open to working on improving product offerings and overall experience.
At the same time, he also urged Malaysia Airlines to be more proactive in its marketing efforts and to collaborate with the industry to explore promotional opportunities.
Tiong emphasised that the pilgrimage market is only one segment, and that they should also expand into other areas such as dive tourism, wellness, culture, and nature-based experiences.
“With Visit Malaysia Year 2026 around the corner, the year-long calendar of activities will soon be announced. I hope Malaysia Airlines and our tourism partners seize this opportunity to swiftly formulate plans.
“I sincerely thank everyone for their continued efforts and support, and I look forward to us working together to address gaps and achieve win-win outcomes.” — DayakDaily
