Tourism Malaysia holds sales mission 2026 in Bengaluru, targets 2.1 million Indian arrivals
Bengaluru: Tourism Malaysia successfully concluded its Sales Mission 2026 in Bengaluru on Friday reaffirming its focus on the Indian outbound travel market and setting an ambitious target of 2.1 million tourist arrivals from India this year.
The programme, held at Shangri-La Bengaluru, was organised in partnership with Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA). It brought together 49 Malaysian sellers and key travel trade partners from Bengaluru and across Karnataka, strengthening engagement with one of South India’s most influential outbound travel hubs.
The Sales Mission was led by Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, along with Mdm Nuwal Fadhilah binti Ku Azmi, Senior Director, International Promotions (Asia/Africa) Division. Their presence underscored Malaysia’s continued commitment to deepening its footprint in India, particularly in the southern region.
India remains one of Malaysia’s most important source markets. In 2025, Malaysia recorded 1,565,194 tourist arrivals from India, compared to 1,365,387 in 2024 — marking a 14.6 per cent growth. In line with the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026), the country is targeting 2.1 million Indian visitors.
Tourism authorities attributed the growth to strong air connectivity between the two countries. Currently, 238 weekly direct flights operate between 14 Indian cities and Malaysia, offering 47,399 seats. South India alone accounts for 151 weekly direct flights and 29,541 seats, significantly enhancing accessibility for travellers from the region.
Mr. K. Saravana Kumar, Consul General of Malaysia in Chennai, said tourism continues to be a strategic pillar in Malaysia–India relations. He noted that the Consulate General is actively supporting Tourism Malaysia’s outreach across South India by facilitating industry partnerships, promotional initiatives and stakeholder engagement to boost outbound travel.
Chairman Datuk Manoharan Periasamy highlighted Malaysia’s focus on strengthening trade partnerships and promoting diverse tourism segments. The Sales Mission showcased Malaysia’s wide-ranging offerings, including leisure travel, family holidays, island escapes, shopping, culture and nature-based experiences. It also spotlighted the growing demand for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) and wedding tourism among Indian travellers.
Mdm Nuwal Fadhilah emphasised the importance of business engagement platforms in connecting Malaysian sellers with Indian trade partners. She described Bengaluru as a strategic market and reiterated Tourism Malaysia’s commitment to introducing updated tourism products, new destinations and refreshed experiences ahead of VMY2026.
Mr. Hishamuddin Mustafa, Director of Tourism Malaysia Chennai, said Bengaluru continues to demonstrate strong outbound potential across leisure, luxury, MICE, weddings and corporate travel segments. He added that the Sales Mission provides trade partners with updated destination insights and new collaboration opportunities.
The Sales Mission 2026 was supported by Batik Air as the Official Airline Partner, further strengthening connectivity and travel options between India and Malaysia.
Tourism Malaysia said it will continue working closely with Indian travel trade partners, airlines and industry stakeholders to position Malaysia as a preferred and accessible destination for Indian travellers.
