China Eastern Airlines marked inaugural Kunming to Kuala Lumpur flight on Saturday.
Passengers on board flight MU9629 arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport from Kunming, southwest China, were welcomed by Manoharan Periasamy, director-general of Tourism Malaysia, an agency under the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
"With this new additional route, it is a great opportunity to bring in more tourists from China's second-tier cities, especially now with our visa-free policy for Chinese travelers to Malaysia. We continue to amplify our promotional efforts in showcasing Malaysia's rich heritage and warm hospitality to one of our top markets through Tourism Malaysia's overseas offices in China," the agency said in a statement.
Since last December the visa-free policy for Chinese travelers to Malaysia has seen a significant increase in bookings to Malaysia. In 2023, Malaysia welcomed 1.47 million visitor arrivals from China, an exponential growth of 593.4 percent from 2022, it said.
This new route by China Eastern Airlines connecting Kunming to Kuala Lumpur operates daily with a capacity of 156 passengers.
I was 'brokefished' by my friend for £400
Art on the lips at hippiest cultural district in Hong Kong
The truth about 'fake meat' and why Martin Freeman was right about ultra
Shanghai citizens average 12 books per year
The fightback begins: Boss of London's Queen Mary University tells pro
Photography exhibition by Italian journalist opens in Xi'an
North Carolina boy, 18, wins $2million on one of the first scratch
Pictured: Suspected burglar, 19, who was shot dead during alleged break
Candice Swanepoel stuns in a form
Gangs in Haiti launch fresh attacks, days after a new prime minister is announced
NBA playoffs: Edwards leads Wolves to 98
Russian state media is posting more on TikTok ahead of the U.S. presidential election, study says