Tourism Malaysia Embarks on Successful Sales Mission to Oman and Qatar

Tourism Malaysia has recently concluded a successful sales mission to Oman and Qatar, held from 12 to 15 May 2024. This initiative aimed to strengthen tourism ties and showcase Malaysia’s latest offerings to the West Asian market, following its participation in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024.

The delegation from Tourism Malaysia comprised 23 members, including twelve travel agents, eight hoteliers, two product owners, and a representative from the State government. The team highlighted Malaysia's enchanting, entertaining, inspiring, alluring, relaxing, and exhilarating tourism products, aiming to captivate the West Asian audience.

The mission featured targeted business-to-business (B2B) sessions and networking dinners in Muscat and Doha. These events facilitated productive partnerships and knowledge exchange between Malaysian and local travel trade partners. Additionally, formal briefings and presentations provided deeper insights into Malaysia's dynamic tourism industry.

The sales mission was honored by the presence of H.E. Shaiful Anuar Mohammad, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia to the Sultanate of Oman, and H.E. Zamshari Shaharan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia to the State of Qatar, who attended the respective events in Muscat and Doha.

West Asian travellers have consistently ranked among the top five international spenders in Malaysia, characterized by high per capita expenditure and longer average stays. With a resurgence of West Asian tourists to Malaysia, this sales mission offered a strategic opportunity to amplify promotional efforts in Oman and Qatar.

In 2023, Malaysia welcomed 18,078 tourists from Oman and 2,464 tourists from Qatar. While these figures reflect a positive trend, the mission aims to re-capture pre-pandemic arrival numbers of 23,911 from Oman and 4,089 from Qatar, as recorded in 2019. This target is bolstered by the availability of convenient direct flights to Kuala Lumpur from Qatar Airways, Oman Air, and Salam Air.

Tourism Malaysia remains committed to fostering closer tourism ties and promoting Malaysia as a premier travel destination in the West Asian market.