Crystal Magazine Jul 23, 2026
TOURISM MALAYSIA STRENGTHENS INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS IN JEDDAH IN SUPPORT OF VISIT MALAYSIA 2026
Tourism Malaysia reinforced its engagement with the Saudi Arabian market by hosting a dedicated tourism industry networking event in Jeddah, marking another significant milestone in expanding Malaysia's presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in support of the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.
The exclusive networking session was graced by His Excellency Tengku Mohd Dzaraif Raja Abdul Kadir, Consul General of Malaysia in Jeddah, and brought together key representatives from government agencies, airlines, travel companies, hospitality partners and the media to strengthen industry collaboration and share the latest developments on Malaysia's tourism offerings.
Led by its Director, Mr. Zaidi Kassim, Tourism Malaysia Jeddah brought together Tourism Malaysia's long-standing strategic partners, including Saudi Airlines, AirAsia, Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Sunway Hotels & Resorts, and Lexis Hotel Group. The gathering provided an important platform to enhance business networking, foster closer partnerships and explore new collaborative opportunities to drive visitor arrivals from Saudi Arabia.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Zaidi Kassim, Director of Tourism Malaysia Jeddah, said, “Saudi Arabia remains one of Malaysia's key high-value source markets, with strong long-term growth potential driven by increasing demand for family holidays, leisure travel and premium tourism experiences. Through closer collaboration with our airline partners, travel trade and industry stakeholders, we aim to further strengthen Malaysia's position as the preferred destination for Saudi travellers under Visit Malaysia 2026.
Building on the momentum of this initiative, Tourism Malaysia will continue its engagement with industry partners through a similar networking programme in Riyadh in conjunction with WTM Riyadh 2026 this September.”
Saudi Arabia continues to be an important long-haul market for Malaysia, particularly within the high-yield and family travel segments, which consistently generate strong per capita visitor expenditure. Supported by direct air connectivity, close bilateral relations and growing outbound travel demand, the market presents significant opportunities to further expand visitor arrivals to Malaysia.
As one of the world's leading Muslim-friendly destinations, Malaysia offers visitors from the Middle East a welcoming environment supported by comprehensive halal facilities, a rich Islamic heritage, world-class hospitality, diverse shopping experiences, premium accommodation, family-friendly attractions and abundant nature-based tourism experiences. These competitive strengths continue to enhance Malaysia's appeal among travellers from the MENA region.
Malaysia's tourism industry continues to demonstrate strong growth momentum. In 2025, the country welcomed 42.2 million international visitors, representing an increase of 11.2 per cent compared to 2024. This positive performance continued into 2026, with Malaysia recording 17.5 million visitor arrivals between January and May, an increase of 3.4 per cent compared to the 16.9 million visitor arrivals captured during the same period last year.
Tourism Malaysia remains committed to strengthening strategic partnerships with airlines, travel trade partners and tourism stakeholders across Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East to enhance destination awareness, expand market reach and stimulate travel demand. Initiatives such as this industry networking event play an important role in fostering stronger business relationships, facilitating new collaborative opportunities and showcasing Malaysia's diverse tourism offerings to one of the region's most promising outbound markets.
