Emirates Renews Tourism Malaysia Partnership to Drive More Visitors to Malaysia
September 23, 2026Malaysia is set to strengthen its international tourism push as Emirates renews its partnership with Tourism Malaysia, with both parties looking to bring more international visitors to the country through stronger global connectivity and joint promotional efforts.
Emirates has signed a new one-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tourism Malaysia, renewing its longstanding commitment to supporting inbound tourism to Malaysia.
The agreement was signed by Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East, and Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia. The signing was witnessed by Chua Choon Hwa, Deputy Secretary General (Tourism), Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia, alongside Saeed Mubarak, Country Manager Malaysia, and Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates.
Supporting Visit Malaysia 2026–2027
The renewed partnership comes as Tourism Malaysia extends its Visit Malaysia campaign into 2027, with a target of 47 million foreign visitor arrivals.
Under the new MoU, Emirates will continue promoting Malaysia across its extensive global network while working together with Tourism Malaysia to support the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 campaign.
For travellers from the Middle East and other international markets, Emirates’ connectivity through Dubai provides another route for Malaysia to reach a wider audience, particularly as demand for travel from the Middle Eastern market is expected to strengthen.
More Joint Marketing and Tourism Promotion
The partnership will also see Emirates and Tourism Malaysia explore a range of joint initiatives, including marketing and advertising campaigns designed to increase Malaysia’s visibility internationally.
Both parties will also look into familiarisation trips for media and travel trade partners, giving them opportunities to experience Malaysia and promote the country to their respective audiences.
The two organisations will further cooperate around Tourism Malaysia’s participation at the Arabian Travel Market, helping to showcase Malaysia to travel industry professionals and potential visitors from the Middle East and beyond.
Orhan Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Far East, said the renewed partnership reflects the airline’s long-standing relationship with Malaysia, where Emirates has been serving the market for three decades.
He added that Emirates is well positioned to support Malaysia’s extended Visit Malaysia campaign through its global network and connectivity via Dubai.
Aiming for More Visitors and Longer Stays
For Tourism Malaysia, the partnership is also about turning stronger air connectivity into tangible benefits for the local tourism industry.
Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director General of Tourism Malaysia, said Emirates’ extensive global network and connectivity through Dubai provide an important platform to increase Malaysia’s visibility among international travellers.
The collaboration aims to support higher visitor arrivals, longer stays and increased tourism spending, while contributing to the wider objectives of Visit Malaysia 2026–2027.
With Emirates continuing to connect Malaysia with travellers across its global network, the renewed partnership gives Malaysia another platform to showcase its destinations, culture, food and experiences to a broader international audience.
