Malaysia Airlines is expanding its Hajj and Umrah services for Chinese travelers through strategic partnerships with regional carriers. Recently, the airline signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tahira Air Sdn Bhd and Kawan International Travel Sdn Bhd to create a connecting hub for Muslim and leisure travelers from China to Saudi Arabia via Kuala Lumpur International Airport. This initiative, announced by the airline’s parent company, Malaysia Aviation Group, aims to strengthen Malaysia’s position as a key transit point for religious tourism.
The partnership will initially focus on offering flights and tours from Ningxia, a Chinese autonomous region with a significant Muslim population, to Jeddah and Madinah. The collaboration is set to expand to include other regions in China, providing greater connectivity for Chinese Muslims traveling for Hajj and Umrah.
Ningxia’s capital, Yinchuan, currently handles significant air traffic with 785 weekly scheduled departures, though most of this is domestic. International routes are limited, with just six weekly departures to destinations like Hong Kong, Dubai, and Taipei. By offering direct flights to Saudi Arabia, Malaysia Airlines and its partners aim to tap into this underserved market.
Vincent Tan Kee Kim, Chief Executive of Tahira Group, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, “Our collaboration with Amal and Kawan International is a great opportunity to promote inbound and outbound tourism between China, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and beyond.”
Amal, the Malaysia Airlines division dedicated to serving Muslim pilgrims, is leading the effort to transform Kuala Lumpur into a central hub for Hajj and Umrah travel for Southeast Asia and beyond. Currently, four of Malaysia Airlines’ six A380-800s operate almost exclusively between Kuala Lumpur and Saudi Arabia, underscoring the airline’s commitment to the growing demand for religious travel.
This partnership is expected to significantly boost air traffic between China and Saudi Arabia, catering to the rising number of Chinese Muslim tourists embarking on religious pilgrimages. By positioning Kuala Lumpur as a key transit hub, Malaysia Airlines is poised to become a central player in the region’s Hajj and Umrah market, with further growth planned as the initiative expands across other Chinese regions.
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