Tourism Malaysia embarked on a sales mission to Oman and Qatar from 12 to 15 May in its robust efforts to foster closer tourism ties and showcase its latest offerings to the West Asian market after successfully participating in the recent Arabian Travel Market (ATM).
Tourism Malaysia with 23 Malaysian delegations consisted of twelve travel agents, eight hoteliers, two product owners and a representative from the State government. The delegation showcased Malaysia’s latest tourism products which were truly enchanting, entertaining, inspiring, alluring, relaxing and exhilarating.
The mission facilitated targeted business-to-business (B2B) sessions and networking dinners in Muscat and Doha, enabling productive partnerships and knowledge exchange between Malaysian and local travel trade partners. Formal briefings and presentations further enhanced the understanding of Malaysia’s dynamic tourism industry. H.E. Shaiful Anuar Mohammad, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia, Sultanate of Oman, and H.E. Zamshari Shaharan, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Malaysia, State of Qatar graced the sales mission in the respective cities.
West Asian travellers have consistently ranked the top five international spenders in Malaysia, boasting a high per capita expenditure and longer average stays. As we witness a resurgence of West Asian tourists to Malaysia, this sales mission presents a strategic opportunity to amplify our promotional efforts in Oman and Qatar.
In 2023, Malaysia welcomed 18,078 and 2,464 tourists from Oman and Qatar, respectively. While these numbers reflect a positive trajectory, the mission aims to re-capture pre-pandemic arrivals of 23,911 and 4,089 logged in 2019. This target is further supported by the availability of convenient direct flights to Kuala Lumpur offered by Qatar Airways, Oman Air and Salam Air.
