PETALING JAYA: Tourism Malaysia is eagerly anticipating an increase in Australian visitors with AirAsia now operating the Darwin-Kuala Lumpur route.
Tourism Malaysia celebrated the arrival of AirAsia’s inaugural flight from Darwin, Australia, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 2) on Friday (June 27).
The route marks a significant step in enhancing connectivity and opening a new gateway for tourists and business travellers between Malaysia and Australia’s Northern Territory.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry deputy secretary-general Chua Choon Hwa stated that the new route will build momentum towards the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 (VM2026).
"The vital Darwin-Kuala Lumpur route is a testament to Australia’s standing as one of Malaysia’s top visitor-generating markets. The launch is perfectly timed as we celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2025 and build momentum towards VM2026," he said in a statement.
"We look forward to welcoming more Australian visitors to experience our unique cultural diversity and commitment to sustainable tourism," added Chua.
In 2024, Malaysia recorded 447,785 visitor arrivals from Australia, which is an 11.7% increase from 2023 and 6.3% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
For the year 2025, Malaysia is targeting 43 million international visitor arrivals, expected to generate RM283.8 billion in visitor receipts.
The Darwin-Kuala Lumpur route will operate four times a week, namely on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
The Airbus A320neo aircraft that will be used for the route has a seating capacity of 180 people.
