Tiong believes that tapping into this will unlock greater opportunities for the tourism markets of both countries.
SIBU (April 10): Malaysia and Vietnam have great potential for growing flight connectivity, particularly from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, said Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
In a Facebook post, the federal Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister believes that tapping into this will unlock greater opportunities for the tourism markets of both countries.
“Recently, I led a delegation from Motac (Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture) and Tourism Malaysia to Vietnam to promote and market Malaysian tourism.
“We engaged with local airlines, including VietJet Air and Bamboo Airways, to explore ways to increase flight frequencies. During the discussions, VietJet Air vice president Nguyen Thanh Son shared that the airline currently operates only two flights daily to Malaysia.
“In response, I proposed the use of Airbus A330 aircraft to increase passenger capacity and better accommodate the growing demand for bilateral travel,” he said.
He also revealed that Bamboo Airways chief executive officer Luong Hoai Nam had mentioned that although the airline once operated a fleet of 30 aircraft, its operations were scaled down during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“However, they are now in the process of gradually rebuilding their fleet, with plans to expand to 80 aircraft by the end of this year. He (Luong) also expressed the airline’s keen interest in resuming flights to Malaysia in the near future.
“I conveyed that with strong support from the government, many businesses are now actively recovering and resuming operations.”
In this regard, Tiong said he welcomed the Bamboo Airways team to explore potential collaborations in Malaysia, with both parties also discussing broader tourism cooperation across Asian countries and expressing optimism about tourism growth within the Asean framework.
Beyond increasing flight connectivity and promotional activities, he also proposed deeper collaboration with Tourism Malaysia to tap into potential opportunities in destinations such as Penang, Perak, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak, particularly in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.
This includes initiatives such as longhouse tourism in Sabah and Sarawak and a series of activities aligned with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, which would further strengthen cultural and tourism ties between our two nations.
“We hope that through various forms of cultural exchange, the Vietnamese people will gain a deeper appreciation of Malaysia’s tourism offerings and cultural richness.
“To this end, we are planning to arrange experiential tourism visits for Vietnamese delegations, allowing them to personally experience the unique charm and attractions that Malaysia has to offer,” said Tiong.
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