Deputy Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, YBhg. Dato’ Yeoh Soon Hin along with Mr. Manoharan Periasamy, Director
General of Tourism Malaysia, representatives from AirAsia and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) today welcomed flight passengers aboard the AirAsia from Ningbo, Zhejiang Province arriving at Kuala Lumpur
International Airport (Terminal 2). AirAsia’s flight AK 181 which landed at 7.00 p.m. will now operate as a new
route connecting Ningbo and Kuala Lumpur three times a week on an Airbus A320, which has a seating capacity of 180 passengers. Similarly, new AirAsia direct flights connecting Ningbo to Kota Kinabalu will commence on
2nd August 2024, operating three times a week on an Airbus A320 with a seating capacity of 180 passengers.
The expansion of routes from China is a result of YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s efforts during his official work visit, and the sales mission in China has yielded positive outcomes. These
two new routes represent a significant milestone in boosting tourist traffic from Zhejiang Province which only caters from Hangzhou to Malaysia. Chinese travellers can now effortlessly experience Malaysia’s varied
offerings, from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur to the immaculate beaches of Sipadan Island, the cultural splendours of Malacca, and the opportunity to partake in a unique cultural attraction, historical
landmarks, and delectable Malaysian cuisine, thanks to the introduction of these direct flights.
The visa-free policy for Chinese nationals to Malaysia effective 1 st December 2023 until 31st December 2026 has seen a significant increase in bookings to Malaysia. As of May 2024, Malaysia has welcomed 1,185,050
arrivals from China, an exponential growth of 194% in comparison to the same period in 2023 with 403,121 arrivals. This new route presents an outstanding opportunity to increase the number of visitors from Chinese cities. MOTAC remains dedicated to establishing further strategic alliances and working with foreign and local airlines to improve its marketing initiatives and increase the number of travellers into the country.
