ITC participates in the Malaysia-China Sales Mission 2025 in Zhengzhou, promoting Malaysia’s Muslim-friendly tourism offerings to the Chinese market
PUTRAJAYA, 24 MARCH 2025: Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) was proud to participate in the China Sales Mission 2025, a strategic tourism promotion initiative led by Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (MICA). Held from 10 – 17 March 2025, the mission covered Kunming, Chengdu, Qingdao, and Zhengzhou. YBrs. Encik Samuel Lee Thai Hung, Deputy Director General (Promotion II) of Tourism Malaysia, headed the Malaysian delegation, accompanied by ITC and other state tourism boards, including Negeri Sembilan Tourism Board, Tourism Selangor, Perak Tourism Management Berhad, and Sarawak Tourism Board.
As the agency entrusted with developing and promoting the Islamic Tourism segment in Malaysia, ITC took this opportunity to highlight Malaysia’s position as a leading Muslim-friendly destination, showcasing a stable of hotels and travel agents that had received the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR) and Muslim-Friendly Tourist Guide (MFTG) certifications.
“China has always been one of Malaysia’s key tourist markets, and the increasing interest in cultural and Muslim-friendly tourism presents an incredible opportunity for ITC to tap into,” said Ms. Nur Alyssa Coraline Yussin, Director of Research and Training Division and Acting Director-General of ITC.
She added: “This initiative also follows the success of the China Muslim Cultural Exchange Familiarisation Trip (Fam Trip), where we hosted 77 influential Muslim representatives from 23 provinces in China earlier in February. The programme, which integrated culture, education, and investment, strengthened partnerships and enhanced Malaysia’s appeal as an inclusive destination. Building on this success, we are confident this Sales Mission will further cement Malaysia as the preferred Muslim-friendly tourism hub for the Chinese market.”
Post pandemic, Chinese tourist arrivals to Malaysia have seen a remarkable surge, from 212,603 in 2022 to 1,474,114 in 2023 and reaching an impressive 3,287,362 in 2024. This growth, facilitated by Malaysia’s visa relaxation policies, highlights the increasing appeal of Malaysia as a travel destination for Chinese visitors.
“Looking at this growth, ITC believes that Malaysia stands to appeal to the estimated 30 million China Muslim population with our rich culture, festivals and lifestyle of the Malays residing in multicultural Malaysia,” Ms. Nur Alyssa said.
Malaysian industry players, including hotels, tourism product owners and travel agencies, also participated in the Sales Mission. This included businesses certified under MFAR programme for accommodations and travel operating businesses. Their involvement aimed to promote high quality hotels and tour packages that cater specifically to the needs of Muslim travellers. Among the MFAR participating hotels and travel agencies were:
Travel agencies | Anytime Holidays Sdn Bhd, Golden Point Leisure & Mice Holiday Sdn Bhd, EZT Tours & Travel Sdn Bhd, Honey Holidays (M) Sdn Bhd, Sayang Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, and HTC Travel Service (M) Sdn Bhd |
Hotels | Lotus Desaru Beach Resort & Spa, Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Tamu Hotel & Suites Kuala Lumpur, Tasik Villa International Resort Port Dickson, and Wyndham Acmar Klang Hotel |
By participating in China Sales Mission 2025, ITC aimed to further position Malaysia as the leading destination for Muslim travellers from China, ensuring they feel welcomed, safe, and well-catered throughout their journey. For more information, visit www.itc.gov.my
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About Islamic Tourism Centre
Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) is an entity under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Malaysia, tasked to develop the Islamic Tourism segment for Malaysia. It advocates for Muslim-friendly tourism (MFT) by offering research and market intelligence, training, industry development consultation, Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality (MFTH) services standards and recognition, and information exchange.
Malaysia was named the top country in the region in the MFTH sector by the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) Report 2022. The country also retained the top-ranked destination in the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2024, a position it has defended since the launch of the Index in 2015. Malaysia was also recognised as the Top Muslim-Friendly Destination of the Year (OIC) and the Top Muslim Women-Friendly Destination of the Year in Halal in Travel Awards 2023.
In addition, ITC was named the recipient of the Strategic Business Alliance Award at The BrandLaureate World Halal Best Brand E-Branding Awards 2021. ITC’s signature programme, the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition (MFAR), was awarded the prestigious BrandLaureate Brand of the Year Award 2024 in the category of Excellence in Islamic Tourism and Muslim-Friendly Hospitality Solutions. It is a recognition of ITC’s efforts and endeavours in formulating new strategies in developing and growing the Islamic tourism segment in Malaysia. These recognitions are an added motivation for ITC to continue to strengthen its efforts in being a prime mover and leading institution to ensure Malaysia is at the forefront of MFTH.
For further details, kindly email comms@itc.gov.my or the following individuals:
Anis Ramli, Corporate Communications Division, ITC at 012 321 913
Nadhirah Aripin, Corporate Communications Division, ITC at 019 356 053
Ainaa Izzati, Corporate Communications Division, ITC at 010 266 253
Khairul Iman, Corporate Communications Division, ITC at 013 289 2609
