Malaysia seeks to strengthen tourism cooperation with Vietnam

Minister Nguyen Van Hung highlighted the increasing number of direct flights connecting the two countries.

He said that Malaysia is currently Vietnam’s second-largest source of tourists in Southeast Asia and ranks seventh globally. The number of Malaysian tourists visiting Vietnam has shown steady growth.

Both sides voiced support for plans to open additional air routes and increase the frequency of flights, especially night flights.

They also agreed to encourage and support travel businesses in both countries to develop more tours, aiming to increase two-way tourist flows.

The Malaysian government, together with the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, has been actively implementing promotional campaigns in Vietnam, aiming to attract 489,000 Vietnamese tourists this year.

As of March, there are 167 direct flights weekly between Vietnam and Malaysia, serving as an essential bridge for tourism activities between the two nations.

Regarding Islamic tourism, Vietnam suggested that Malaysia share its experience and assist in building Vietnam’s halal tourism sector.

Vietnam also encouraged Malaysian firms to invest in halal product manufacturing and supply chains in Vietnam to better serve Muslim Malaysian tourists.

Prior to the working session with Vietnamese Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung on Monday, Dato’ Sri Tiong King Sing attended the Vietnam International Travel Mart, which took place between April 10 and 13 in Hanoi, and worked with Vietnamese travel companies and airlines.

Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, marketing director at Vietnamese travel firm Vietravel, noted that while Malaysia is already a familiar market, it still holds much potential.

Malaysia remains attractive to Vietnamese tourists due to its cultural, culinary, and natural diversity.

“The Malaysian market still has plenty of room to grow, especially in family travel, shopping tours, budget-friendly tours for young travelers, and themed tours such as sports, cuisine, and festivals,” Khanh shared.

During a meeting with BestPrice, another local travel company, the Malaysian minister emphasized his desire to boost two-way cooperation with Vietnamese travel agencies.

The two sides also discussed joint promotional campaigns and strategies to increase tourist exchanges.

Malaysia expressed readiness to support Vietnamese enterprises, KOLs, and media outlets with resources and materials to promote lesser-known Malaysian destinations to Vietnamese travelers.

Bui Thanh Tu, marketing director at BestPrice, said that Malaysia has several advantages to attract Vietnamese tourists, including geographical proximity, affordable flights, flexible visa policies, and reasonable travel costs.

To enhance two-way tourist flows, Tu suggested organizing themed expos, experiential events, and digital promotional activities.

He also emphasized spreading the image of Malaysian tourism through KOLs and KOCs, targeting younger customers.