Malaysia Airlines teams up with Google to digitalise and boost tourism

Malaysia Airlines and Google are collaborating to boost tourism and drive digital evolution within the aviation sector. As part of the partnership, Malaysia Airlines intends to harness AI and digital technologies to enhance its commercial operations, streamline processes and provide tailored experiences to travellers.

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At the same time, the collaboration aims to foster ongoing growth and innovation across various product domains such as Google Pay, Google Flights, and AI-powered marketing solutions. This, according to the airline, enables Malaysia Airlines to cultivate a holistic ecosystem that prioritises seamless customer experience.

"We are excited to embark on this transformative commercial journey with Google to strengthen our reach and capability by tapping into international markets. As the national flag carrier, we are deeply committed to driving the growth of tourism and fostering economic development in our country," said Dersenish Aresandiran, chief commercial officer of airlines, Malaysia Aviation Group in a statement.

"By harnessing the power of Google's technology innovation and expertise, we are confident that we can unlock new opportunities, elevate the travel experience, and strengthen Malaysia's position as a leading tourism hub in the region, aligning with the Government's vision for Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VMY2026).”

Farhan Qureshi, Google Malaysia, Pakistan and frontier markets managing director said, "Malaysia's tourism sector is poised for significant growth, and Google is committed to supporting Malaysia Airlines in capitalising on this opportunity."

"We're thrilled to embark on this journey and explore what we can do more together this year," added Qureshi. In addition, the airline plans to leverage innovative solutions to fuel its growth and marketing channels, positioning the airline for substantial network expansion plans this year.

Through Google's AI-powered 'Performance Max', Malaysia Airlines will also be able to optimise its marketing campaigns, as well as ensure increased reach, relevance and ROI in an increasingly competitive travel market.

Recently, the airline carrier drew mixed sentiments from netizens after its recent AI-generated Chinese New Year post raised questions of authenticity and ethics in marketing. One user said "using AI-generated images made their image look cheap" while another questioned if a photographer was hard to find.

Meanwhile, some users showed support, commenting "wow nice AI image" and defended the company against users whose comments denote a negative tone.

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