PETALING JAYA: Tourism Malaysia is anticipating the arrival of more Australian visitors with AirAsia now operating the Darwin-Kuala Lumpur route.
The inaugural flight from Darwin touched down at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (Terminal 2) on Friday.
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 said the new route would build momentum towards Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).
“The 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.
Last year, Malaysia recorded 447,785 visitor arrivals from Australia, which is an 11.7% increase from 2023 and 6.3% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
The Darwin-Kuala Lumpur route will operate four times a week. The Airbus A320neo aircraft used for the route has a seating capacity of 180 people.
