Malaysia has always been one of Taiwan’s key source markets under the New Southbound Policy. With a GDP growth rate of 5.2% in 2025, outbound travel demand in Malaysia continues to surge. Coupled with the high familiarity Malaysians have with Taiwan and the convenience of numerous direct flights, the Tourism Administration of the MOTC is moving fast to capture this market.
To strategically position Taiwan for the second half of 2026 and the upcoming festive holiday seasons, a high-level Taiwan Tourism Delegation has been assembled. This delegation includes local government representatives, airlines, travel agencies, hotels, and theme park operators—comprising 29 organizations and 64 representatives in total.
From May 13 to 20, the delegation will head to Penang and Kuala Lumpur for a dual-city "relay" campaign. The mission includes hosting Taiwan Travel Fairs and B2B Tourism Workshop Updates (Promotional Sessions), aimed at aggressively expanding Taiwan's market share of Malaysian travelers through this strategic roadshow.
The promotional activities kicked off in Penang from May 15 to 17, with a grand Taiwan Travel Fair held at the city’s iconic Queensbay Mall. Carrying forward the brand identity of "Taiwan—Waves of Wonder," the event featured a massive inflatable "OhBear" mascot and a Taitung Hot Air Balloon photo installation.
These eye-catching "Instagrammable" spots successfully drew large crowds, with many locals stopping by to inquire about Taiwan travel packages.
The stage was packed with high-energy performances, featuring the cross-genre band "Liu-Sheng-Ji" and the "Flying Space" troupe, who wowed the audience with a fusion of street dance and acrobatics showcasing Taiwan’s vibrant cultural mix.
To further boost engagement, popular Malaysian KOLs LizQin and Cayeeloh (炸魚) made special appearances to share their personal travel stories in Taiwan. They highlighted how Taiwan is "vibrant day and night," promoting diverse themed itineraries and inspiring Malaysians to discover their own unique way of exploring Taiwan.
With Muslims making up nearly 70% of Malaysia's population, the Tourism Administration is doubling down on its efforts to tap into this segment.
The delegation highlighted Taiwan’s significant achievements in building a Muslim-friendly travel environment, notably its 4th place ranking among Non-OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) destinations in the 2025 Mastercard-Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI). This serves as a testament to Taiwan’s hospitality capacity and service quality for Muslim guests.
Simultaneously, recognizing the deep cultural ties and strong repeat-visitor trend among Malaysian Chinese travelers, the Tourism Administration is focusing on premium and repeat-traveller segments. The strategy emphasizes diverse, in-depth themed experiences, focusing on product differentiation and high-quality, curated itineraries to further boost Taiwan’s appeal as a top-tier destination.
Benefiting from visa-free entry, short-haul flight durations, and a safe and convenient travel environment, Malaysia has consistently remained a vital source market for Taiwan. The Taiwan Travel Fair in Penang was a massive hit, drawing over 10,000 visitors. The crowd was buzzing with inquiries, successfully driving a high volume of on-the-spot bookings.
Meanwhile, the B2B Taiwan Tourism Workshop Session in Kuala Lumpur brought together over 100 local industry players to network with the Taiwan delegation. The event facilitated 5,000 business matching sessions, significantly strengthening the tourism supply chain links between Taiwan and Malaysia. This successful engagement has laid a solid foundation for local agents to organize and send more tour groups to Taiwan in the coming months.
Furthermore, Taiwan will leverage romantic comedy films and family-oriented variety shows to deepen its image as a Muslim-friendly travel destination. By precisely addressing the needs of different traveller segments, the goal is to ensure Taiwan remains the top-of-mind choice and a preferred repeat destination for Malaysian travellers.
