BAYAN LEPAS, 30 December 2024 – Tourism Malaysia welcomes the commencement of a new route by Loong Air, connecting Xian, China to Penang, Malaysia today at the Penang International Airport. The flight will operate twice weekly, every Monday and Friday, using the Airbus A320 with a capacity of 168 seats.

The flight was warmly welcomed by YBhg. Dato’ Yeoh Soon Hin, Deputy Chairman of Tourism Malaysia together with YBhg. Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia; and Madam Ding Qiao, Vice Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Penang. Also present were representatives from Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad, officials from Loong Air, Ground Team Red Sdn Bhd (GTR)—exclusive ground handling partner for Loong Air, Penang state representatives, media and other key stakeholders.

“This new route is part of Loong Air's strategy to expand its international reach, a result of YB Dato Sri Tiong King Sing, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture’s efforts during his official working visit to China. This expansion is also a testament to Malaysia as a preferred destination for Chinese tourists, especially from northern China,” said YBhg. Dato’ Yeoh Soon Hin, Deputy Chairman of Tourism Malaysia.

The introduction of this route aligns with the objectives of Visit Malaysia Year 2026. In recent months, Malaysia has seen a remarkable increase in tourist arrivals from China, with a total of 3,038,314 tourists in 2024, an ascending growth of 132.7% compared to the previous year. The visa free policy which is now extended until December 2026 together with the growing connectivity between Malaysia and China are expected to further boost these numbers and enhance cultural exchange between Malaysia and China.

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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, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok.

About Loong Air

Loong Air is a Chinese airline based in Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. It started operation in 2013 and is currently flying three times weekly from Hangzhou to Kuala Lumpur starting 1st February 2024.

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