A Message from Panorama Destination Malaysia:
Hello from Kuala Lumpur!
The new year is well underway in Malaysia, and there’s plenty more reasons to celebrate in the month ahead. In addition to Lunar New Year / Chinese New Year from 10 to 12 February, there’s some extra special celebrations coming up too. Sultan Ibrahim of Johor has just been named the 17th King of Malaysia, so expect to see some historical festivities in the weeks ahead!
For clients looking to visit Malaysia in February, we can strongly recommend Selangor; a state on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia that’s conveniently within reach of the capital city, Kuala Lumpur. Attractions here include the spectacular Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz mosque and the iconic Batu Caves, home to an enormous statue of the Hindu god Lord Murugan.
If your clients are looking for something off the beaten track, look no further than the Jungle School, where visitors can learn from the wisdom of Malaysia’s Indigenous Peoples. Programmes here include survival skills of the ‘Orang Asli’ (Peninsular Malaysia’s Indigenous group), such as the utilisation of endemic flora and fauna, the basic skills of food gathering and traditional methods of hut-making and camping. This is a great way to develop an awareness of rainforest sustainability, from those who have been custodians of nature for countless generations.
We’ve been busy recently with a number of different guests. We’ve just finished hosting a student group from Eastern Europe, along with several cruise groups that have enjoyed a series of day tours around Malaysia, docking at various ports and experiencing a wide array of attractions on their travels. If you have clients that are interested in a Malaysian cruise, we’ll be able to make the necessary arrangements for you.
So far, it’s been a busy start to 2024. January came and January went, and along the way we served many happy clients that arrived in Malaysia for their holidays. We look forward to providing more of the same in February, with partners old and new. If you have clients with upcoming bookings, get in touch and let’s work on something special together.
Finally, with the Lunar New Year coming up, I would like to wish all our partners, clients and associates, “Xin Nian Kuai Le …..Gong Xi Fa Cai” . May the Year of the Dragon bring us more happiness and prosperity!
Natasha Jimin
Country Manager, Panorama Destination Malaysia.
Destination digest: Malaysia news in brief
A selection of bitesize news stories currently making the headlines in Malaysia:
Tourism Malaysia gearing up for Visit Malaysia 2026
Tourism Malaysia has started to work on the goal of attracting 35.6 million international tourists for the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year (VM2026) in 2026. Among the strategies is to ensure sufficient flights from visitor-friendly countries such as China, with discussions currently ongoing between it and several airlines to establish direct flights connecting smaller provinces or ‘second-tier cities’ in China and Malaysia.
(source: The Malaysian Reserve)
Laos and Malaysia pledge to boost tourism cooperation
Ministers and senior officials from Laos and Malaysia have discussed ways to strengthen their cooperation in the tourism sector, as well as other fields of mutual interest. The meeting took place on the side lines of the ASEAN Tourism Ministers’ Meeting, which was held in the Lao capital Vientiane from 22-27 January.
(source: The Star)
Indonesian arrival numbers to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024
Tourism Malaysia is anticipating a resurgence in the number of Indonesian tourists visiting Malaysia in 2024, aiming to return to pre-pandemic levels following a significant growth in the arrivals last year. Before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia attracted 3.62 million Indonesian visitors in 2019, according to TM international promotions division (ASEAN) senior deputy director, Jamilah Abd Halim.
(source: Malay Mail)
Tourism Malaysia in talks for more China flights
Tourism Malaysia is currently in discussions with several airlines to establish direct flights connecting smaller provinces or ‘second-tier cities’ in China and Malaysia. Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Ammar Abd Ghapar said such direct flights would facilitate travellers from smaller regions in China to visit Malaysia without the need for domestic flights to major airports, thereby saving travel time.
(source: Malay Mail)
To get all the latest developments and breaking news coming out of Malaysia in the weeks ahead, simply follow Panorama Destination on our social media channels:
