Additional flight routes being discussed to boost tourism for Visit Johor 2026

JOHOR BARU: The proposal for additional flight routes from Daegu, South Korea; Taichung, Taiwan; and Kunming, China is currently being discussed in efforts to further boost the tourism sector in conjunction with Visit Johor Year 2026.

Tourism Johor director Sharil Nizam Abdul Rahim said this matter is being studied together with the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac), Tourism Malaysia, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), and Senai International Airport (LTAS).

"All proposals for direct flights to Johor will be presented to the state government after information related to this plan is received from all relevant parties," he told Bernama.

Sharil Nizam said that efforts to introduce these routes also involve enticing tourists from the respective countries, with a particular focus on places like Daegu and nearby cities such as Busan in South Korea.

These areas had frequently chosen Johor as a destination before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Prior to Covid-19, numerous tourists from South Korea visited Johor via Jin Air. However, with the onset of the pandemic, this flow came to a halt and remains so to date.

That's why we're working hard to attract their visits, especially considering the presence of a South Korean community in Johor," he said.

He said efforts to promote the state must be continuous, because Johor has various attractive tourism options that deserve attention.

Senai International Airport is among the busiest airports in the country, serving 17 domestic destinations and connecting to five international cities: Jakarta, Surabaya, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Guangzhou.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi had earlier said that the state government is targeting the arrival of 12 million domestic and foreign tourists during Visit Johor Year 2026. - Bernama