Malaysia Aviation Group and Sunway to revive economy via joint marketing efforts

Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) and Sunway Group have partnered to revive Malaysia’s economy in a range of industries including aviation, property, education, medical tourism and hospitality. The partnership will allow MAG and Sunway to explore new collaborative initiatives which include business opportunities, joint marketing campaigns, and branding and promotional activities. 

As part of the partnership, Malaysia Airlines has been appointed the preferred airline of Sunway, reflecting the latter's confidence in the airline’s premium and reliable services across its network, both locally and internationally, the press statement said.

Sunway will be able to tap into new opportunities through the airline’s tour operating arm, MHholidays; the airline’s digital student travel programme, MHexplorer; and a joint reward programme via the airline’s Travel and Lifestyle loyalty programme, Enrich. This partnership aims to offer comprehensive travel packages covering flights, hotel stays, and attractions on both companies’ MHholidays packages, Journify vacation and themepark Vouchers, quarantine facilities, and special MH packages.

The partnership between MAG and Sunway first began with Enrich, MAG’s Travel and Lifestyle loyalty programme in November 2019. With the two groups’ latest collaboration, Enrich will look to introduce even more value-added experiences and allow its members to redeem Sunway Pals points with Enrich Points, and vice-versa. Sunway Pals points can be redeemed to enjoy privileges at more than 1,000 merchants across Sunway business divisions including malls, theme parks, healthcare, education and property. These can be used to enjoy an extensive range of experiences such as flights, seat upgrades, retail items, access to Malaysia Airlines’ Golden Lounges, hotel stays and dining, confirmed a press statement.

MAG and Sunway will additionally offer curated medical tourism packages. These packages will provide exclusive discounts and air travel promotions of MAG’s airline companies for customers requiring treatment at Sunway Healthcare Group’s facilities. With this, MAG and Sunway hope to promote further growth in Malaysia’s medical tourism sector, said the company in a press statement.

Subsidiaries under MAG include MAB, Firefly, MASwings, and Journify; where subsidiaries under Sunway include Sunway Malls, Sunway Theme Parks, Sunway Property, Sunway Education Group, Sunway Healthcare Group and Sunway Travel.

On a broader front, this collaboration aims to have both brands leverage each other’s expertise in establishing a  talent ecosystem on student placements, academic information and knowledge exchange, developing joint research projects, and offering new aviation programmes at selected Sunway educational institutions. Students enrolled at institutions under Sunway Education Group can also enjoy exclusive benefits when they sign up for the airline's digital travel programme, MHexplorer, for their travel from and within Malaysia. 

Regarding ESG commitments, the collaboration will open doors to sustainability initiatives that reinforce MAG’s and Sunway’s shared commitment to sustainability. Both organisations have pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, in line with the national climate agenda to be a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.

Through this partnership with MAG, CEO of Sunway Group HC Chan said it hopes to revitalise and recover the economy and put Malaysia back on the map of the world as a "touristic destination that has so much to offer".

According to group CEO of MAG, Izham Ismail, the aviation group is looking forward to advancing its collaboration with Sunway group, to jointly drive a wide spectrum of collaborative efforts. Ismail added that this was a momentous occasion for both brands, who seek to join hands in aiding the people and businesses affected by the pandemic, particularly within the fields of aviation, property, education, medical tourism, and hospitality.

“We believe that these efforts are vital for exploring and capitalising on new opportunities that will emerge to ultimately promote brand awareness at greater levels. Our collaboration with Sunway Group today demonstrates how organisations with shared values and goals can pave the way to accelerate industries and economic growth,” said Ismail.

Separately, the MAG boosted its digital efforts across Journify, adigital and lifestyle platform that doubles up as an eCommerce space, earlier this March. This included launching a new mobile app on iOS and Android, where consumers can discover places of interest, plan bespoke experiences and shop for products and services in the app's marketplace. The app was first introduced in July 2021, the group's third business focus that aims to provide its consumers end-to-end travel solutions. 

Meanwhile, MAB also entered into a strategic partnership with Qatar Airways in February, to offer more access for passengers to travel to new destinations beyond their individual networks while offering new and exclusive products to its customers. This will allow MAB passengers to have seamless connectivity to popular destinations in Europe, Africa, Middle East, and the Americas with Qatar Airways' extensive network connected by Doha. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways' passengers can also gain better access to the wider domestic Malaysia market and key destinations in Asia. They include Penang, Langkawi, and Medan operated by MAB via its hub in KLIA. Both parties have also agreed to double down on other areas of the business such as air cargo, operations or commercial services.

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