Trip.com Group partners Malaysia’s Tourism Board to expand efforts into the APAC region

Global travel service provider Trip.com Group has signed a Memorandum of Collaboration with Tourism Malaysia – also known as the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board during the ITB China trade show.

Under this three-year Memorandum of Collaboration, both parties will expand their existing collaboration beyond China, and into the wider Asia Pacific region.

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Based on data provided by Trip.com Group, Kota Kinabalu, Penang, Langkawi and Semporna are among the most popular Malaysian cities for travellers globally. Malaysia is also one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists, especially Tawau, known for being the world’s third largest cocoa producing area.

But while tourism to Malaysia has picked up since the start of visa-free travel arrangements with China, there is still more it can do to enhance Malaysia's profile as a key tourist destination, said Trip.com in a statement.

As such, the collaboration focuses on attracting more Chinese and international visitors to Malaysia on the marketing front, including key product promotions for hotels and attractions. More areas within Malaysia, such as Johor and Sarawak, will also be promoted to travellers.

“Trip.com Group is committed to helping Malaysia’s tourism industry grow not just in absolute numbers, but also in attracting quality tourists.” said Edison Chen, vice president of destination marketing and strategic alliances, Trip.com Group.

Moreover, Harley Travel joins in the collaboration with Trip.com and the Ministry of Tourism to promote tourism between Malaysia and China on the back of the visa-free travel arrangement between both countries. This comes in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia.

"The expansion of our agreement to cover the whole of Asia Pacific shows how successful Trip.com Group and Tourism Malaysia’s partnership has been. We are excited to work together to enhance our tourism promotion efforts to other regional markets and show travellers what Malaysia has to offer," said Manoharan Periasamy, director general of Tourism Malaysia.

Tourism Malaysia also announced its plans for strategic partnerships through joint promotions or tactical campaigns, towards its roadmap to “Visit Malaysia 2026” in a bid to attract 35.6 million international tourist arrivals.

Trip.com Group is one of the many collaborations Tourism Malaysia has solidified in order to achieve this goal. Previously, AXN Asia, owned by KC Global Media, and Tourism Malaysia partnered up to present Unfading Memoirs, a production which showcases Malaysia's rich cultural tapestry and landscapes.

Unfading Memoirs aims to inspire audiences to advocate for extraordinary destinations and will feature experiences from different travellers' perspectives.

It will be hosted by renowned personalities and avid travellers Justin Bratton and Selina Lo, alongside food and travel enthusiast Erwan Heussaff. The mini-series promises an immersive and unforgettable exploration of Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak.

Photo courtesy of pygmyseahorse on flickr 

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