With Muslims making up nearly 70% of Malaysia’s population, the Tourism Administration is doubling down on efforts to tap into this segment
PETALING JAYA: As travel demand continues to rebound despite global economic uncertainties, Taiwan is intensifying efforts to attract Malaysian Muslim tourists through halal-friendly tourism offerings, influencer marketing and strategic industry partnerships.
Taiwan Tourism Administration Kuala Lumpur office director Abe Chou said Taiwan has expanded its Muslim-friendly tourism infrastructure, including halal-certified restaurants, Muslim-friendly hotels and prayer facilities at airports, railway stations and major tourist attractions.
“With Muslims making up nearly 70% of Malaysia’s population, the Tourism Administration is doubling down on efforts to tap into this segment,” he said in a statement.
In the 2025 Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index, Taiwan ranked fourth among non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) destinations, behind Singapore, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.
According to the index, more than 230 restaurants and hotels in Taiwan have received halal certification from the Chinese Muslim Association, with many operating separate kitchens to meet dietary requirements.
Chou said Taiwan is combining Muslim-friendly travel experiences with influencer marketing and entertainment content to strengthen its appeal among Malaysian travellers.
“Taiwan will also leverage romantic comedy films and family-oriented variety shows to further enhance its image as a Muslim-friendly travel destination,” he said.
Apart from Muslim travellers, Taiwan is also targeting premium and repeat-travel segments among Malaysian Chinese tourists through curated and themed travel experiences.
A Taiwan tourism delegation comprising 29 organisations and 64 representatives from local governments, airlines, travel agencies, hotels and theme park operators will hold promotional events in Penang and Kuala Lumpur over two weekends.
The campaign will begin in Penang from May 15 to 17 with the Taiwan Travel Fair at Queensbay Mall under the “Taiwan — Waves of Wonder” campaign branding.
The event will feature an inflatable “OhBear” mascot, a Taitung Hot Air Balloon-themed photo installation, cultural performances and appearances by Malaysian influencers LizQin and Cayee, who will share their travel experiences in Taiwan.
Performances by Taiwanese acts Liu-Sheng-Ji and Flying Space are also scheduled, showcasing a mix of music, street dance and acrobatics aimed at highlighting Taiwan’s cultural diversity.
The fair is expected to attract more than 10,000 visitors and generate on-the-spot bookings for Taiwan travel packages.
The campaign will continue in Kuala Lumpur on May 19 with two tourism workshop sessions at The Westin Kuala Lumpur.
Taiwan will host separate sessions tailored for the Muslim travel market and Chinese travel industry players.
The workshops are expected to attract more than 100 local tourism stakeholders and facilitate approximately 5,000 business-matching engagements between Malaysian and Taiwanese representatives.
The Taiwan Tourism Administration said Malaysia remains one of its key tourism markets under Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy.
The administration cited Malaysia’s 5.2% GDP growth in 2025, increasing outbound travel demand, visa-free entry arrangements and strong direct flight connectivity as key factors supporting tourism growth between the two countries.
Taipei is connected to Kuala Lumpur by about 40 direct flights weekly, while Penang also has direct flights to Taipei operated by airlines including China Airlines and Malaysia Airlines.
Taiwan Tourism Administration statistics showed that 385,787 Malaysians visited Taiwan in 2025, representing a 10.6% decline from 431,481 in 2024.
The latest campaign forms part of Taiwan’s efforts to reverse the decline and strengthen Malaysia’s position as one of its key Southeast Asian visitor markets.
Taiwan recorded 8.57 million international visitor arrivals in 2025, an increase of about 9% compared with the previous year.