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Tourism Malaysia lays out plan to entice Chinese travellers

Malaysia’s bet on Chinese tourists is increasingly being shaped by the same forces influencing their itineraries: short videos, lifestyle apps, online personalities and newly opened…

By Samantha Johnson / June 29, 2026
Malaysia’s bet on Chinese tourists is increasingly being shaped by the same forces influencing their itineraries: short videos, lifestyle apps, online personalities and newly opened routes from beyond China’s biggest cities.

Tourism Malaysia confirmed the focus, saying its Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign in China included “digital marketing, key opinion leader (KOL) collaborations, short-video content, and themed initiatives”.

The response followed a This Week in Asia story on how mainland platforms such as RedNote, Douyin and Weibo are turning Malaysian mosques, food stops and photo-friendly locations into itinerary items for Chinese visitors.

But the agency did not disclose how much it was spending on China-facing promotions or influencer-led campaigns, saying the “implementation and scale” of campaigns were “subject to the annual budget allocation approved for the respective year”.

The platforms were being used to “optimise market reach”, target high-end luxury travellers and directly engage “young, independent travellers”, it said. “For the China market, Tourism Malaysia promotional efforts are primarily focused on engaging both the travel trade and consumers.”

A tourist tries her hand at making coconut jelly during Eid al-Adha cultural activities organised by local tourism groups in Johor, Malaysia, on May 29. Photo: Xinhua
A tourist tries her hand at making coconut jelly during Eid al-Adha cultural activities organised by local tourism groups in Johor, Malaysia, on May 29. Photo: Xinhua

Those efforts included “collaborations with industry stakeholders such as airlines, travel agents, hotels, and other tourism-related partners”, alongside “direct consumer outreach through online platforms and offline promotional activities”.

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