JOHOR BARU: A new direct flight between Johor Baru and Kunming, China, is poised to further drive Johor’s economic growth.
With the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) set to be implemented soon, Malaysian Chinese Tourism Association (MCTA) Johor chapter chairman Edwin Tay (pic) believes the new flight is a timely addition that will contribute to the state’s economy.
The memorandum of understanding for the JS-SEZ was signed by Malaysia and Singapore in January, with both countries aiming to finalise a full agreement by the end of the year during the Malaysia-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat.
“I believe the flight will introduce more international tourists to Johor and also bring in potential business opportunities and investors to the state,” Tay said in an interview.
He said the introduction of the new flight route on Oct 31 also coincides with the Visit Johor Year 2026 (VJY 2026) campaign.
“For the first time, travellers can fly directly between Johor Baru and Kunming without having to travel to nearby Singapore or Kuala Lumpur first.
“The demand for this route by Batik Air has been strong, leading to negotiations and business-to-business discussions with the relevant parties since last year.
“The Johor Baru-Kunming flight is an exciting addition to the existing direct flights we have to and from Guangzhou and Hainan,” he said.
The airline will operate two chartered flights per week, with plans to increase frequency for the route as demand grows, said Tay.
He anticipates that visitors from Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in China, will enjoy the attractions in Johor, such as the Desaru beach and the islands of Mersing.
“The flight between Senai International Airport and Kunming will take about four hours.
“The route will benefit both regions and create spillover effects for local businesses,” he said.
Additionally, Tay said MCTA has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kunming’s Tianya International Travel Agency to strengthen cooperation and boost tourist numbers on this route.He added that the Yunnan Airport Group, which operates the Kunming Changshui International Airport, is also supportive and will offer perks like free accommodation for transit passengers based on their travel packages.
Meanwhile, Tourism Johor assistant director Nur Maziah Ab Razak welcomed the introduction of the new flight route, noting its timeliness with the state’s promotional efforts for VJY 2026.
“We also hope that it will bring more foreign tourists to Johor while strengthening ties between both sides,” she added.
