Malaysia steadies tourism push amid Middle East chaos
Higher airfares making long-haul travel to South-East Asia more expensive for travellers from European, Middle Eastern markets
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (MNTV) — Malaysia’s tourism planners – the golf industry included – find themselves dealing with a global landscape characterized by uncertainty, but also with a degree of opportunity, reports The Star.
The U.S.-Israel war on Iran and rising geopolitical tensions have disrupted travel flows across Asia. Tourism Malaysia, though, says the country has been spared the worst of the fallout – so far, and largely thanks to the efforts focused on regional markets and a strategic move to diversify their approach ahead of Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
Tourism Malaysia chairman Manoharan Periasamy said the agency has been monitoring the situation closely, particularly the impact of the war on Iran on long haul travel and airline capacity across the region.
Several Asian destinations have reported cancellations, weakened forward bookings and higher airfares as carriers reroute or reduce flights through the Gulf. But Malaysia is in a comparatively stronger position.
“Our focus markets remain the same. Many people have asked whether the situation in the Middle East will affect arrivals. Fortunately, our core markets are regional,” he said. “And these are China, India and Asean, which together account for about 80% of arrivals.”
While some Asian destinations rely heavily on Middle Eastern transit hubs for European and long-haul traffic, Malaysia’s tourism mix is anchored in short-haul markets that have remained resilient.
Manoharan added the visa free arrangements introduced late last year for China and India, have helped stabilise demand.
“Our focus on China and India, and Singapore remains strong. Since the visa free arrangements came into effect, we’ve seen steady growth from these markets. North-East Asia – South Korea and Japan – is also performing well,” he added.
Still, the turbulence in the Middle East has not left Malaysia unscathed. Airlines that operate through Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Muscat have trimmed their frequencies, in some cases, rather significantly – affecting both leisure and business travel.
Tourism Malaysia preparing attractive offers
“There has been some impact from flight cancellations between the Middle East and Malaysia,” Manoharan pointed out. “Emirates and Qatar Airways alone used to operate around 42 weekly flights, plus Etihad, Oman Air and Air Arabia. So yes, we’ve lost a few thousand seats a week.”
Higher airfares have added to the growing pressures, making long-haul travel to South-East Asia more expensive for travellers from the European and Middle Eastern markets. But Malaysia’s tourism operators have responded with a mix of tactical promotions and targeted partnerships.
“The markets that rely heavily on Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Muscat are definitely feeling the impact, especially for leisure travel,” said Manoharan. “Airfares have risen. But Tourism Malaysia is preparing attractive offers to encourage travellers to choose Malaysia over the next few months.
“These packages – combining hotels, shopping and other experiences – will be announced in due course.”
Despite the disruptions, Malaysia’s European strategy remains solid. Direct flights by Malaysia Airlines to London and Paris continue to perform well, the Tourism Malaysia chairman said.
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