Malaysia eyes Middle East tourists with 'Brunei+' travel package
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is set to deepen its tourism ties with Middle Eastern nations by adopting a proven strategy pioneered by Royal Brunei Airlines, says Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
He highlighted the success of the airline's "Brunei + Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu" model, which offers travellers a complimentary overnight stay in Brunei before continuing on to destinations such as Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu.
The initiative has received encouraging market response and was recently expanded to include Kuching.
"Given the strong reception, we are planning to replicate this model for the Middle Eastern and Indian markets, in partnership with Royal Brunei Airlines, to draw more international tourists to our shores," he said in a statement.
Tiong said that during the 2025 Arabian Travel Market, he and Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Manoharan Periasamy held talks with Royal Brunei Airlines' UAE regional manager, Jalal Sanour Rahman.
The discussions resulted in a preliminary agreement to adapt the "Brunei+" model specifically for the UAE market.
The new travel package will target the 4.5 million Indian expatriates residing in the UAE, offering a seven-day, six-night itinerary that includes Brunei and Malaysia. Tourism Malaysia will sponsor a one-night stay in Kota Kinabalu or Kuching as part of the package.
"Our target is to attract at least one million Indian expatriates from the UAE to visit both countries. I hope to finalise this package by year-end in support of our target to welcome 45 million international tourists under Visit Malaysia 2026," he added.
To support promotional activities, Tiong said that Tourism Malaysia would offer 30 familiarisation trip slots to Royal Brunei Airlines, enabling its representatives to explore key attractions across various Malaysian states.
The familiarisation trip is tentatively scheduled for September or October, with the itinerary to be confirmed by the end of August.
In addition, he proposed that Royal Brunei Airlines consider expanding its network through more connecting routes, including direct flights from Dubai to Brunei with onward connections to Peninsular Malaysia destinations such as Melaka, Johor, Pahang, and Perak.
These routes, he said, could be introduced via codeshare agreements or chartered flights, strengthening the positioning of Malaysia and Brunei as joint gateways for regional tourism.
"This approach — where travellers arrive via Brunei and depart from Malaysia — also supports the growth of the Muslim-friendly tourism segment between our two countries," he said, adding that his ministry would work closely with the Transport Ministry to facilitate approvals for any new flight routes.
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