The role will sees the airline providing accessibility and connectivity for delegates and participants from China and Asean countries.
KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Group Bhd will be the official airline partner for the Malaysia-China Summit 2024 (MCS 2024), that will be held in Malaysia in December.
The role will sees the airline providing accessibility and connectivity for delegates and participants from China and Asean countries.
As an airline partner, AirAsia will provide exclusive travel deals which include a 10% airfare discount for summit participants from travel dates between Dec 9-20 with bookings made at MCS 2024’s website.The promotional routes are valid for travel on AirAsia to major cities in Asia, including Singapore, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Vientiane, Manila, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Shaharuddin Abu Sohot highlighted the importance of partnerships in promoting regional connectivity and cultural exchange.
“The contribution of business travellers is significant, outpacing that of typical tourists due to their longer stays and higher spending for transportation, accommodation and dining,” Shaharuddin said during a ceremony to mark the partnership between AirAsia and MCS 2024.
He added the ministry is actively enhancing facilities to attract more business travellers, especially during key events like international conferences, expositions, and corporate gatherings.
The ministry also intends to host 500–1,000 forum participants, with speakers who are corporate giants and subject-matter experts who will exchange ideas under one roof.
AirAsia Group Bhd chief commercial officer Paul Caroll said the partnership is strategic as it aligns with AirAsia’s ongoing expansion across Asia.
Caroll said, AirAsia has flown over 3.6 million guests to and from China since 2021, and he expects the number to continue growing from partnering with MCS 2024. With visa-free travel requirements extended by both nations till 2025, he said the carrier has seen a massive surge in airline bookings to Malaysia since the announcement.
“That has continued throughout the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24) and we expect to carry close to 2.8 million passengers for the Malaysia-China market this year,” Caroll said.
“We operate direct flight services to 16 destinations from Malaysia to China within AirAsia Group, including exclusive routes,” he added.
“In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China bilateral relations, we are committed to strengthening the ties between the two countries through tourism and further contributing to welcoming the arrival of an expected five million Chinese tourists this year,” he said.
Carroll said he expects the airline to achieve a full pre-pandemic operating schedule by the 3Q24 as inbound demand to Malaysia has been robust.
