Malaysia

Due to flight cancellations to the Middle Eastern hubs, European tourists are spending more time exploring Malaysia. The Spanish Ambassador to Malaysia stated that there are about 200 Spanish travellers who were affected by the cancellations in Malaysia. Some of them travelled home via India, China, or Turkiye The Polish Embassy said there are 70 of its citizens stranded in Malaysia, and LOT Airlines arranged several commercial relief flights to the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Some Polish travellers returned to Europe via Pakistan, Kazakhstan, China, South Korea, Japan and India. Several urgent medical cases were prioritised and departed to Poland from Langkawi, organised by a Polish tour operator on 6 and 13 Mar A French diplomat said there are more than 250 French people stranded in Malaysia The Italian Embassy said there are 350 Italian tourists in Malaysia

Tabung Haji announced the cost of Haj for the 2026 season will remain at RM33,300 despite the conflict in the Middle East. Tabung Haji CEO said they have secured agreements with Malaysia Airlines and Saudi Airlines in advance, factoring in the possibility of fuel price increases. He added that the agency will absorb any additional expenses. He stated that they signed a 3-year agreement to fix the overall cost, but a clause requires adjustments if oil prices exceed $90 USD per barrel

Cruise operators StarCruises and Dream Cruises announced they will apply a surcharge of $15 SGD per person per night due to the increase in fuel costs due to the conflict in the Middle East. The surcharge will apply for Genting Dream sailing from Singapore and neighbouring home ports, and to Star Voyager sailing from Singapore and Port Klang, Malaysia

Malaysia’s Consul-General in Songhla advised Malaysians to postpone travel to Southern Thailand following the fuel shortage there. The Thai-ASEAN Halal Tourism Industry Association President said the fuel shortage is expected to last for 10 days from 16 Mar. She advised Malaysians to fully refuel their vehicles before crossing the border and refuel at Thai stations in early morning as an alternative

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) President stated Malaysia’s location in ASEAN offers a geographical advantage and a competitive advantage through affordability and a strengthening currency. Malaysia records a steady growth in Chinese tourist arrivals, and more direct flights are planned to connect Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and other states. He said several routes are under negotiation. He added that despite the conflict in the Middle East, Malaysia will continue to engage with long-haul markets, especially Europe

The Government will discuss with Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) today to review the rising cost of flights and the safety of Hajj pilgrims following the conflict in West Asia. The Minister of Religious Affairs said the talks will involve Tabung Haji’s special committee set up to assess the implications, including costs, pricing, and safety of the conflict. He added that the Haj quota set by the Malaysian and Saudi Arabian governments remains unchanged. The Deputy Prime Minister said TH is negotiating with airlines to ensure the airfare for Haj pilgrims is not affected by global fuel price uncertainties caused by geopolitical tensions in West Asia

Tabung Haji is negotiating with airlines to ensure that the flight costs for Haj remain stable and do not increase ahead of the upcoming Haj season. The government has not ruled out the possibility that the cost could increase if the Middle East conflict continues

The Federal Territories Mufti has advised Muslims to delay their umrah travel until safety is restored

Apple Travel Group has noted that some of its departures have had to be adjusted in the light of airline disruptions and are monitoring developments to try to avoid travellers getting stuck at transit hubs. The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) said that the intention to travel was “still very strong”, with travellers redirecting or postponing trips. The Malaysian Tourism Federation said that tour operators are seeing a “moderate” impact on travel demand, but that Malaysians are still keen to travel during festive periods

Agoda reported a 55% MoM increase in accommodation searches from visitors in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore from 20-23 Mar, in conjunction with Hari Raya (Eid al-Fitr). Popular destinations are Bali, Yogyakarta, Bandung, Kuala Lumpur, and Tokyo. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand see a strong interest, while demand is increasing for Japan and China as well. China is among the top 5 destinations for travellers from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore with a 7% YoY increase

Malaysian tour groups in Europe have rerouted or extended their stays in Europe following the conflict in the Middle East affecting routes through the Middle East airports. Apple Travel Group Managing Director said a group travelling in Spain and Portugal has extended their stay in Barcelona, before flying back to Kuala Lumpur via London. The President of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) stated that travel agents have been helping affected travellers by securing seats on alternative flights and assisting with emergency arrangements. He also noted that the “intent to travel is still very strong. Travellers may simply redirect their plans or postpone their trips”. He advises those who are travelling overseas to ensure that they have travel insurance and use licensed travel agents. The Malaysian Tourism Federation President said the tour operators are closely monitoring the situation and maintaining communication with airlines, ground partners, and Malaysian diplomatic missions to offer help to the travellers with flight rebookings, rerouting through alternative hubs and adjusting itineraries. He added that the “overall impact on travel demand remains moderate at this stage as many airlines have begun restoring limited operations and rerouting flights through safer corridors”. He said some travellers are still keen to travel during the festive seasons, with many choosing flexible bookings or alternative destinations

The Human Resources Minister said the Traveller Scheme will be tabled at the Cabinet meeting. The scheme will protect 400,000 workers commuting to Singapore daily

Tabung Haji is still preparing for the Haj pilgrimage, with the agency preparing for all eventualities. 31,600 Malaysians are scheduled to perform Haj this season. It noted that no pilgrims have yet withdrawn their acceptance

649 Malaysians are still stranded across the Middle East, the Foreign Ministry has reported

The Malaysian Cabinet has approved plans to evacuate Malaysians from the Middle East, should the conflict escalate, but noted that as of 7 Mar, it had no plans to do so. It reported 31,000 Malaysians living in the region, and that 2,300 Malaysians were stranded, including those transiting or who were performing Umrah

3 Malaysian travel agencies, Safarbuddies Travel & Services, UHR Travel and Jawahir Travel & Tours, have merged under a consortium, One Umrah, to collaborate to repatriate stranded Umrah pilgrims

The Consulate General of Malaysia in Jeddah invited representatives from all travel agencies with stranded pilgrims in Jeddah, Mecca, and Medina for an online meeting on 5 Mar

The Foreign Ministry’s travel advisory against non-essential travel to Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the UAE are still in force. The Ministry is monitoring the fluid security and travel situation in the Middle East and closely coordinating with Malaysian diplomatic missions in the region. The Ministry noted the UAE authorities’ announcement on the opening of designated safe air corridors and the temporary resumption of flights to and from Jeddah and Madinah by Malaysia Aviation Group from 4-8 Mar. Malaysia's Missions in the UAE are engaging with those waiting to travel in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In Saudi Arabia, the mission is monitoring the situation involving affected Malaysian umrah pilgrims and conducting needs-based assessment, prioritising those facing extended transit delays. The Missions also help Malaysians in transit or awaiting revised travel arrangements in Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain. All Malaysians registered in diplomatic missions in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria are safe. The Foreign Ministry is working with the Higher Education Ministry to monitor Malaysian students’ welfare

1,600 Malaysian pilgrims are reportedly stranded in Saudi Arabia due to flight cancellations and disruptions due to the conflict in the Middle East. The Malaysian consulate has successfully confirmed the safety of most pilgrims in Jeddah, Mecca, and Madinah. The Consul General in Jeddah said the pilgrims are scheduled to return to Malaysia on Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Etihad flights. 19 Malaysian students were stranded in Jeddah due to Jordan airspace closure, and all of the students have been provided with temporary accommodation at the consulate and at serviced apartments. A Tour Director said 281 travellers under her company who completed their pilgrimage in Mecca were stranded due to flight disruption. She added Mecca and Madinah are safe and peaceful since the conflict zone is far away

The Foreign Minister said the situation in the Middle East is under control and an evacuation plan is not needed to bring Malaysians from the affected countries. Malaysia has set up a 24-hour operations room for those in the affected countries. There are 29,000 Malaysians in the Gulf countries, and 13,000 are registered with the embassies. In Qatar alone, there are 2,007 registered Malaysians, mostly working with airlines and related sectors. The Minister said they are in discussion with Lembaga Tabung Haji to utilise the agency’s accommodation in Jeddah to assist those affected by flight cancellations

The Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) Vice-President (air transportation) said the majority of travel plan changes are due to flight cancellations by the airline, rather than travellers cancelling. He added they did not observe a significant increase in Malaysians cancelling or postponing leisure trips overseas following the conflict in the Middle East

Several umrah operators have rearranged travel schedules and changed the return flights of pilgrims who are stranded in Madinah and Jeddah, following delays due to conflict in the Middle East. 80 pilgrims under Tiram Travel Sdn Bhd are stranded in Jeddah and Madinah, and their flights operated by Malaysia Airlines scheduled to leave on 8 Mar have been changed to AirAsia. The departure time and the number of pilgrims leaving on 3 Mar were not confirmed, as it was based on AirAsia’s flight schedule and seat availability. The company will cover the new tickets, and discussions on refunds for Malaysia Airlines flights will be held later. Mutawwif Dhia Travel Sdn Bhd is negotiating with flydubai and several airlines operating to Jeddah, including Saudia Airlines and AirAsia, to bring back the pilgrims without transit. The travel agency will bear all additional costs, including accommodation, meals, and land transport, for the welfare of 150 pilgrims who are stranded in Madinah after their flights were cancelled. Umrah4Ladies Founder and Board Director of MK Haramain Travel & Tours said 33 female pilgrims stranded in Madinah are being taken care of by tour guides and the Haramain operations team in Saudi Arabia

Hong Kong welcomed 430,000 Malaysian visitors, +6% YoY in 2025

Heavy traffic congestion was reported at the Woodlands Checkpoint on 2 Mar, two days after the immigration increased checks following the conflict in the Middle East

The Foreign Ministry has urged Malaysians to halt all non-essential travel to the Middle East, and for those already there, to follow instructions from local authorities and shelter in place if advised

Airbnb data shows Tokyo, Osaka, and Perth were the most searched overseas destinations for Malaysians during the festival holiday