Passengers on board flight MU9629 arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport were greeted by Tourism Malaysia’s Director General and representatives from China Eastern Airlines and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad as they celebrated the inaugural flight of China Eastern Airlines’ new route connecting Kunming to Kuala Lumpur.
The daily service, operated on Airbus A320neo aircraft, marks a significant addition to the existing flight options from the Yunnan Province to Malaysia.
Tourism Malaysia, Director General, Manoharan Periasamy, highlighted the strategic importance of the new route in attracting tourists from China’s second-tier cities, especially with Malaysia’s visa-free policy for Chinese travelers in effect until the end of 2024.
“With this new additional route, it is a great opportunity to bring in more tourists from China’s second-tier cities, especially now with our visa-free policy for Chinese travellers to Malaysia.
We continue to amplify our promotional efforts in showcasing Malaysia’s rich heritage and warm hospitality to one of our top markets through Tourism Malaysia’s overseas offices in China,” Manoharan said.
This policy has already led to a notable increase in bookings to Malaysia, with arrivals from China experiencing exponential growth, reaching 1.47 million in 2023 compared to 212,603 in 2022.
