By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 30: Malaysia is strengthening multidirectional tourism and cultural exchanges with Indonesia by expanding cooperation in health and wellness tourism, educational exchanges and the MICE sector, while leveraging its strategic advantage as a regional transit hub to attract visitors from Europe and other long-haul markets.
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Dato Sri Tiong King Sing said the initiatives were discussed during a dinner meeting with representatives from Indonesia’s major tourism industry associations during his recent visit to the republic recently.
“All parties agreed that tourism products must be further enriched to cater to a wider range of visitor segments, including through cultural experiences, educational tourism, as well as health and wellness offerings.
“With the recovery of regional tourism becoming more visible, Malaysia has the advantage as a regional transit hub that could potentially attract visitors from Europe and other long-haul markets,” he said in a post shared in his social media today.
He said the Indonesian tourism industry representatives also proposed intensifying the development of MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) tourism, while expressing confidence in the growing demand for medical and health tourism.
Tiong noted that Indonesian student groups and senior citizens were also identified as key potential visitor segments through student exchange programmes and senior-friendly travel packages, especially to boost tourist arrivals during off-peak seasons.
On educational tourism cooperation, he said both sides discussed establishing a smoother communication mechanism between universities and secondary schools in Malaysia and Indonesia.
“Indonesia has more than 3,000 higher education institutions and an extensive secondary school system, which means the opportunities for cooperation in this field are very broad,” he said.
In terms of air connectivity, Tiong said both parties proposed increasing flight connections, including through Malaysia Airlines and other carriers, to strengthen regional and long-haul flight capacity while encouraging more international travellers to transit through Malaysia.
He added that Tourism Malaysia would continue strengthening ties with Indonesia’s tourism industry in product development, market promotion and resource sharing, while coordinating with relevant agencies to expand cooperation in education and aviation sectors.
Describing Indonesia as a large and high-potential market, Tiong said efforts would continue to maintain close communication with tourism industry players and enhance more targeted market strategies and tourism products.
“This is important to attract more Indonesian visitors to Malaysia and provide stronger and more stable growth momentum for Visit Malaysia Year 2026,” he said.
Among those present were deputy general chairman II DPP and chairman of the Association of Indonesia Tourism Travel Companies (ASITA) Rocky W. Praputranto, deputy general chairman of the MICE Association of Travel Agent Indonesia (ASTINDO) Hanley Budiman, deputy general manager of inbound and domestic Heben Ezer, general chairman of the Association of Tourism Persons Indonesia (ASPPI) Azwani Awi, as well as ASPPI general secretary and head of ASPPI DPD Banten Risang Megandaru. — DayakDaily
