Tourism authorities aim to encourage longer stays, premium travel experiences and stronger visitor growth from India
PRAVASISAMWAD.COM
Malaysia is stepping up efforts to attract higher-value travellers from India, with Tourism Malaysia targeting a significant increase in per-visitor spending as part of its Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.
The tourism board is encouraging Indian visitors to extend their average stay to seven or eight nights while spending around ₹1.2 lakh per person per trip, including airfare. At present, Indian travellers spend an estimated ₹85,000 per trip excluding flights, according to Tourism Malaysia officials.
Haryanty Abu Bakar, Director of Tourism Malaysia Mumbai, said the strategy is focused on improving tourism revenue by promoting longer holidays and a wider range of travel experiences rather than relying solely on higher visitor numbers. The campaign highlights leisure holidays, meetings and conferences (MICE), destination weddings, educational travel and premium tourism products.
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India remains one of Malaysia’s fastest-growing source markets, with Tourism Malaysia strengthening its marketing efforts through travel trade partnerships, promotional campaigns and improved air connectivity
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The country is targeting around 1.6 million Indian visitor arrivals in 2026, reflecting the increasing importance of the Indian outbound travel market
Officials believe Indian travellers are increasingly seeking longer holidays, family vacations, luxury experiences and customised itineraries, creating opportunities to boost tourism receipts. The campaign also aims to encourage visitors to explore destinations beyond Kuala Lumpur by promoting Malaysia’s beaches, rainforests, cultural attractions, wellness tourism and culinary experiences.
Visit Malaysia 2026 forms part of the country’s broader strategy to strengthen its tourism sector and enhance its position as a leading destination in Southeast Asia. Tourism Malaysia expects the Indian market to play a key role in achieving its long-term tourism revenue goals, supported by sustained promotional activities and closer collaboration with the Indian travel industry.
