Tourism Malaysia reaffirmed its strong commitment to the Indian outbound market at a high-level press conference held in New Delhi ahead of its participation in SATTE 2026.
The press conference was addressed by YBhg. Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, alongside Dato’ Muzafar Shah Mustafa, High Commissioner of Malaysia to India, in the presence of leading travel trade partners, airline representatives, tourism stakeholders, and media.
The engagement comes at a significant time as Malaysia accelerates its global outreach under Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026).
Strong Performance and Market Momentum
Malaysia recorded 42.2 million international visitor arrivals in 2025, reflecting an 14.6% growth over 2024. India remains one of Malaysia’s most dynamic source markets, contributing over 1.6 million visitors in 2025, demonstrating sustained demand and market confidence.
Speaking at the press conference, YBhg. Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, said “India continues to play a pivotal role in Malaysia’s international tourism strategy. The robust growth in Indian arrivals reflects the strong bilateral ties and growing consumer confidence in Malaysia as a safe, diverse and high-value destination. As we move closer to Visit Malaysia Year 2026, we are intensifying strategic collaborations with our Indian partners to drive sustainable and high-yield tourism growth.”
Highlighting ground-level engagement and trade partnerships, Dato’ Muzafar Shah Mustafa, High Commissioner of Malaysia to India added “The Indian market has shown remarkable resilience and enthusiasm for Malaysia across leisure, MICE, weddings and premium travel segments. With expanded air connectivity, continued visa-free entry for Indian nationals, and strong industry partnerships, we are confident of achieving even stronger growth in 2026. Our focus remains on delivering quality experiences while strengthening trade collaboration across Tier I, II and III cities.”
Enhanced Connectivity and Accessibility
With more than 240 weekly flights operating between India and Malaysia, coupled with the continuation of visa-free entry for Indian nationals, travel accessibility remains robust and supportive of further growth under the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.
Strategic Engagement Events on 24 February 2026
As part of its intensive market outreach on 24 February 2026, Tourism Malaysia is organizing three dedicated engagement events in New Delhi ahead of SATTE 2026:
- Wedding Seminar – Positioning Malaysia as a premier destination for grand Indian weddings, highlighting luxury venues, culturally adaptable services, seamless logistics and competitive value offerings.
- MICE B2B Session – Facilitating direct business engagements between Malaysian industry players and Indian corporate planners and event organizers, showcasing Malaysia’s capabilities in Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).
- Malaysia Networking Dinner 2026 – An exclusive evening bringing together leading travel trade partners, airline representatives, wedding planners, corporate stakeholders and media to strengthen bilateral cooperation, foster new partnerships and build sustained momentum towards VM2026.
