KUALA LUMPUR, 11 OCTOBER 2025: The successful “Huanying Lai Malaysia! Discovery Familiarisation Trip,” a strategic collaboration between Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) and Bumiputera Travel and Tour Association Malaysia (BUMITRA MALAYSIA) concluded today with an engaging Appreciation Ceremony and networking dinner at the Seri Pacific Hotel.
Some 76 key influencers from China, comprising business owners, travel agents, community leaders and social media influencers from 13 provinces, took part in this specially curated 7-day cultural voyage, from 6 to 12 October 2025. The trip was a showcase of Malaysia’s colourful tourism offerings, highlighting unique cultural and nature-based attractions, world-class hospitality and inclusive tourism services that cater to a wide spectrum of travellers. This strategic public-private partnership is part of Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to tap into the China tourist market and create more opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), especially local businesses and communities, a focus central to the nation’s MADANI Economy framework for achieving inclusive growth and national prosperity.
MINISTRY’S UNDIVIDED SUPPORT
YB Datuk Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), who graced the programme lauded ITC and BUMITRA MALAYSIA’s commitment in engaging the viable China tourist market through such meaningful and immersive experiences. He said, “This initiative is a testament to Malaysia-China diplomatic ties, which officially began over 50 years ago. Globally, the China tourist market is highly sought after by renowned destinations. Through this familiarisation trip, we are strengthening our tourism ties with China while building confidence among travellers and deepening invaluable people-to-people connections between our two nations.”
YB Datuk Khairul Firdaus continued, “By experiencing Malaysia first-hand, these influential participants are now better positioned to share authentic insights on the country’s attractions with Chinese travellers, directly supporting Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) objectives and reinforcing Malaysia’s position as a welcoming and comfortable destination for all.”
THE GLOBAL STANDARD-SETTER FOR INCLUSIVE TOURISM AND INVESTMENT
ITC’s Acting Director-General, Nur Alyssa Coraline Yussin, informed that the trip strategically leverages Malaysia’s sound positioning as a leading Muslim-friendly destination globally, making it the ideal host. Earlier this year, the nation was crowned the Top Muslim-Friendly Destination (OIC) in the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2025 Report by Mastercard and CrescentRating for the 10th year in succession.
“Malaysia offers authentic, culturally rich experiences that seamlessly integrate culture, heritage and culturally-sensitive hospitality,” said Nur Alyssa Coraline. “We ensure systematic delivery of this quality through recognition programmes and competitive-edge services, including the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) and Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide (MFTG) programmes to guarantee both quality and inclusivity.”
“As a follow-up to this fam (familiarisation) trip, we urge BUMITRA MALAYSIA to maintain strong engagement with these key influencers. This strategic relationship is crucial, and we are confident that it will contribute to achieving Malaysia’s target of welcoming 47 million international visitors for VM2026,” she concluded.
SPREADING MALAYSIA’S SOFT POWER
“This sustained excellence in Muslim-friendly tourism is a clear demonstration of Malaysia’s soft power in the global tourism industry. Our decade-long dedication has established us as a global authority and standard-setter in this specialised niche,” Nur Alyssa Coraline continued. “This globally recognised leadership position minimises market entry risk and signals sturdy, sustained demand, making Malaysia a particularly attractive hub for international and local investors seeking to develop culturally sensitive tourism infrastructure, digital services and hospitality assets.”
“To truly amplify this influence, we actively encourage more industry players to collaborate with ITC. Successful models, such as the support we have received from BUMITRA MALAYSIA, the Malaysian Inbound Tourism Association (MICA) and Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) show the tremendous impact we can achieve together.”
DRIVING ECONOMIC IMPACT
BUMITRA MALAYSIA President, Dr. Wan Muhamad Adam Norudin, strongly seconded the call for collaboration. He shared, “In developing the itinerary for this familiarisation trip, we made sure to showcase the best of Malaysia’s unique culture in a way that is relatable to Chinese tourists. The participants had direct interaction with local business owners and the person-in-charge of the attractions visited.”
He added, “By focusing on the SME supply chain, from local eateries and transport providers to heritage sites, we are immediately translating this inbound interest into economic returns for the Malaysian tourism ecosystem. This is how collaborative familiarisation trips inject confidence and kickstart a valuable chain reaction of growth for SMEs across the entire country. We urge all participants and parties involved, including all BUMITRA MALAYSIA members, to take full advantage of this strategic exposure. We are confident that these key influencers will now passionately promote Malaysia to their respective communities, ensuring our nation is their top choice for future holiday, business, or education travel.”
The participants also had a networking and information exchange session with 22 of BUMITRA MALAYSIA’s travel agencies at today’s Appreciation Ceremony.
COLLABORATIVE GROWTH AND INVESTMENT
This familiarisation trip is the third under ITC’s supervision, and the first coordinated by BUMITRA MALAYSIA, following a strategic agreement signed at the beginning of the year between ITC and three of Malaysia’s most prominent tourist associations, the MATTA, MICA and BUMITRA MALAYSIA itself. The strategic idea was first mooted by MOTAC in a quest to tap into the substantial 1.4 billion population of China, thereby diversifying the tourist market for local industry practitioners.
The Huanying Lai Malaysia! Discovery Familiarisation Trip explored destinations across Kedah, Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Putrajaya, and Selangor. They were introduced to Malaysia through our heritage delicacies, immersive Malay cultural history and royal heritage, engagements with renowned learning institutions and exploration of natural sites.
Some highlights of the familiarisation trip included:
- Masjid Putra, Putrajaya
- Sekinchan Paddy Field
- Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex, Kuala Lumpur
- Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Selangor
- Cultural Night at Bagan Datuk, Perak
- Sungai Batu Kedah Tua, Kedah
- Gunung Jerai, Kedah
- Menara Alor Setar
- Istana Pelamin, Kedah
- Muzium Padi, Kedah
- Shopping experience at Pekan Rabu, Kedah
- Masjid Zahir, Kedah
ITC first ran a pilot familiarisation trip with MICA to entice the China market in January 2024, its success encouraged the organisation of a sophomore run in February 2025. Collectively, the initiative has accumulated about RM 100 million in return, benefitting SMEs in accommodation, transportation, food and beverage and consequently driving a chain reaction of positive economic impact across various related sectors.
ITC firmly believes that collaborative, market-specific initiatives are the engine of tourism growth. The agency is committed to fostering deeper partnerships with industry players like BUMITRA MALAYSIA, MATTA, and MICA. ITC specifically invites investors to take part in developing high-value tourism offerings that leverage our proven success in market-specific sectors. The MOTAC agency also plans to close 2025 with another familiarisation trip, modelling the success of these initiatives, to conquer the European market as a key step toward the VM2026 goals.
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Issued by:
Corporate Communications Unit
MINISTRY OF TOURISM, ARTS AND CULTURE (MOTAC)
Tel: 03-8000 8000 Fax: 03-8891 7181
Website: www.motac.gov.my Email: group.ukk@motac.gov.my
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