MUMBAI, 30 January 2025 – Tourism Malaysia has made a historic impact at the Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) Mumbai 2025, marking its largest-ever participation in the event. Taking place from 30 January to 1 February at Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai, the Tourism Malaysia Pavilion proudly features an impressive delegation, including 33 travel agencies, 23 hotels, 7 tourism products, 3 airlines, and 2 state government agencies – Sabah Tourism Board and Selangor Tourism.

This landmark presence comes on the heels of the Malaysian Government’s extension of the visa-free entry policy for Indian tourists until 31 December 2026. This initiative has boosted confidence among Malaysian tourism stakeholders, driving robust participation at OTM. It also underscores Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening its position as a preferred destination for Indian travellers.

Driving Growth in Indian Tourism

Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, emphasized the significance of this participation:"Tourism Malaysia is committed to attracting more Indian tourists to our shores. Through OTM 2025, we are strategically leveraging the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign to capture the diverse preferences of Indian travellers, offering curated products and packages designed specifically for this market."

The Indian market has been pivotal for Malaysia’s tourism growth. In 2024, Indian tourist arrivals exceeded one million, surpassing expectations and solidifying India as a key source market. This success stems in part from the visa-free entry policy introduced in December 2023. Enhanced connectivity, with over 246 weekly direct flights linking key Indian cities to destinations like Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Langkawi, has further fueled this growth.

Ms. Noriah Jaafar, Director of Tourism Malaysia’s Mumbai office, reiterated Malaysia’s longstanding commitment to the Indian market: "With over 24 years of presence in India, Tourism Malaysia recognizes the immense potential of this key market. Our efforts aim to continually enhance Malaysia’s appeal as a vibrant and accessible destination for Indian travellers."

Expanding Reach Through Aggressive Sales Missions

Following OTM, Tourism Malaysia will intensify its engagement with an aggressive sales mission across Southern India and Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 3 to 10 February 2025. The mission will focus on key cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Kochi, which collectively account for more than half of the weekly flights to Malaysia. These initiatives aim to foster stronger partnerships with local stakeholders and introduce compelling tourism offerings tailored to Indian preferences.

Tourism Malaysia’s participation in OTM Mumbai 2025, combined with its strategic sales missions, underscores its unwavering dedication to promoting tourism growth and nurturing collaborative opportunities in the Indian market.

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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.

For enquiries, please contact:

Solehuddin Ahmad
Deputy Director
International Promotion Division (Asia/Africa)
solehuddin@tourism.gov.my
Tel: +603 8891 8204

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