SEPANG, 21 May 2025 – Tourism Malaysia proudly commemorates the inaugural flight of China Eastern Airlines connecting Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province in northwest China to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s vibrant and cosmopolitan capital. This milestone represents a significant step forward in enhancing bilateral tourism and economic relations between Malaysia and China.

Lanzhou, a major transportation and economic hub in northwestern China, has seen rapid growth driven by rising incomes and a growing middle class. Strategically positioned along the historic Silk Road, the city plays a vital role in China’s Belt and Road Initiative by promoting enhanced connectivity with Central Asia and other countries, including Malaysia.

The new Lanzhou-Kuala Lumpur route will operate three times weekly using an Airbus A320 aircraft with 156 seats. This service complements the existing daily Kunming–Kuala Lumpur flights and marks the first direct air link between Lanzhou and Malaysia. Moreover, by offering connecting routes via Kunming, this expansion creates broader opportunities to attract outbound travelers from key Chinese cities to Malaysia.

The inaugural flight received a warm welcome at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), led by Mr. Samuel Lee Thai Hung, Deputy Director General of Tourism Malaysia, alongside representatives from China Eastern Airlines, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), Tourism Malaysia, and AeroDarat, the airline’s ground handling partner.

This collaborative effort highlights the shared commitment to strengthening tourism and cultural ties between Malaysia and China. It also reflects Malaysia’s proactive approach in leveraging the resurgence of outbound travel from China.

From January to March 2025, Malaysia received 10.1 million international visitor arrivals, representing an increase of 22.2% from the previous year. Meanwhile, Malaysia received 1,124,635 visitors from China overall, that showcases a robust 36.5% year-on-year increase. The extension of the visa-free policy for Chinese nationals until December 2026, combined with improved flight connectivity, is expected to further boost this positive momentum. These developments not only reinforce cultural and people-to-people links but also contribute significantly to the tourism sector and broader economic cooperation.

Tourism Malaysia looks forward to continued collaboration with Chinese partners and remains committed to providing enriching, diverse, and welcoming experiences for Chinese travelers across the country.

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About Tourism Malaysia

Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, also known as Tourism Malaysia, is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia. It focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia as a preferred tourism destination. Since its inception, it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene.

The next Visit Malaysia Year, set to take place in 2026, will commemorate the sustainability of the nation's tourism industry, which is also in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).

Furthermore, Tourism Malaysia actively endorses the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), working towards the realisation of the IMT-GT Visiting Year 2023-2025, with the shared aim of promoting the region as a unified tourism destination. For more information, visit Tourism Malaysia’s social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok.

For enquiries, please contact:

Azmi Abdullah
Senior Deputy Director
International Promotion Division (Asia/Africa)
azmi@tourism.gov.my
Tel: +603 8891 8491

Norshariza Mohd Saad
Deputy Director
Corporate Communications Division
norshariza@tourism.gov.my
Tel: +603 8891 8775