Visa-free entry for Indians

Embracing a multifaceted strategy, partnerships, and improved connectivity, Malaysia aims to solidify its status as a top-choice destination for Indians.

Janice Alyosius

With a notable surge of around 472,000 Indian visitors between January and September 2023, Tourism Malaysia anticipates an even greater influx in 2024. It eyes more than 1 million Indian visitors in 2024, especially with the recent announcement of visa-free entry for Indians until 31 December 2024.

Akmal Aziz, Deputy Director, Tourism Malaysia, in a recent conversation with TRAVTALK, shared insightful perspectives on Malaysia’s tourism strategies, specifically focusing on the Indian market and plans for the upcoming year.He highlighted the concentrated efforts to position Malaysia as an ideal wedding and golfing destination.“We are doing it through wedding exhibitions/events and golf tournaments.Since 2022, we have been organising numerous golf events and attending numerous wedding shows.We have seen a few golf tournaments and weddings from India in Malaysia and have had a favourable response from the Indian market. In 2024,our aim is to solidify Malaysia’s appeal for weddings and golfing experiences among Indian travellers,” he shared.

Aziz emphasized on their collaborative efforts with airlines, travel agencies, and online travel agents (OTAs) to attract more Indian travellers. He said participation in trade fairs, conferences, and organisation of roadshows across various cities will maintain their market presence. They will also leverage the influence of social media and media influencers, alongside hosting familiarization trips. The aim is to showcase new products and lesser-explored destinations within Malaysia. Moreover, the partnership with the International India Film Academy (IIFA) Awards 2024 presents a significant platform to showcase Malaysia within the Bollywood industry. Reflecting on the visa-free initiative’s impact, Akmal highlighted the positive response from the Indian travel industry and said, “Malaysian government began visa-free travel to India on 1 December 2023, and we have seen a positive response from the travel industry. Large and small travel agencies have begun to focus on Malaysia and advising their clients to plan a trip. According to recent travel portal studies, a majority of travellers are looking towards Malaysia for their forthcoming abroad trip and most hotel rooms in Malaysia are fully booked by Indian travellers. The visa-free entry into Malaysia is valid until 31 December 2024. The extension will be determined by the Indian market’s response.”

Aziz also underlined the nation’s growing appeal in providing incentives and cultural experiences. “We have been witnessing tremendous growth in term of M!CE movement in Malaysia since April 2022 and it’s increasing day by day. Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) is assisting and encouraging corporate groups by giving souvenirs, cultural performances during the gala dinner, monetary benefits, and a special immigration lane for corporate groups upon arrival,” he informed. Malaysia seeks to enhance air connectivity between India and Malaysia, and negotiating to increase flight slots under bilateral aviation agreements.

“India is number 1 source market for Malaysia in terms of tourist arrivals except Asean and China. According to the Strategic Planning Division, Tourism Malaysia and Immigration Malaysia, we received 14.4 million tourists between January and September this year,” he said.