March-April. 2026
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Accommodation
When festivities converge
Hotels embrace the Chinese New Year- Ramadan overlap in 2026
THE year 2026 opened with a rare and meaningful convergence as the Chinese New Year and the holy month of Ramadan coincided in February. This overlap presented a timely opportunity for Malaysia’ s tourism and hospitality sector to demonstrate its strength in inclusivity, cultural sensitivity and market
responsiveness.
With a growing focus on the Chinese Muslim segment alongside domestic and regional Muslim travellers, hotels across the country curated accommodation packages and dining experiences that thoughtfully balanced festive celebration with spiritual observance.- RnR
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VILLEA PORT DICKSON
LOCATED along the scenic coastline of Port Dickson, Villea Port Dickson has steadily positioned itself as a resort well-versed in catering to international group travel, particularly from China. Drawing on years of experience hosting large Chinese tour groups, the resort adopts a highly adaptive approach to food and beverage offerings, ensuring guest preferences are carefully considered.
According to Resort Manager Ridzuan Nordin, menus are customised based on guest profiles, especially when welcoming Chinese Muslim groups. Continuous feedback collection allows the team to refine its offerings and service delivery over time.
“ Our chef is Malay, so achieving authentic flavours takes time. Language can also be a challenge, but our staff use automatic translation tools to communicate effectively with guests. We provide awareness training, as well as cultural and service etiquette training, to ensure Muslimfriendly hospitality. Additionally, we implement standard operating
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procedures( SOPs) for Ramadan and other relevant events.
“ Achieving recognition under the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition( MFAR) programme assures clients that our hotel provides halal food and a Shariah-compliant environment. Guests can dine with confidence, knowing the experience is authentic and trustworthy.”
Stay & Steamboat Getaway at Villea Port Dickson.
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Ridzuan Nordin. |
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Villea Port Dickson offers A Feast of Prosperity for Chinese New Year.
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Villea Port Dickson offers festive dining and stay experiences
• A Feast of Prosperity: Chinese New Year Buffet Dinner 2026( 16 – 17 Feb, 7:00 – 10:30pm, d’ Terrace): Halal-certified traditional dishes symbolising luck and prosperity.
• Cozy Stay & Steamboat Escape: Relaxing stay with a communal steamboat dinner, perfect for family gatherings.
Villea Port Dickson is experienced in catering to large Chinese tour groups.
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SUNWAY RESORT HOTEL
AT Sunway Resort Hotel, Muslim travellers are not viewed as a niche segment but as a core market integral to the hotel’ s year-round operations.
Brendan van Zyl, Cluster General Manager, emphasised that the hotel’ s strategy is firmly grounded in recognising the scale and diversity of Muslim travel, spanning domestic, regional and international markets.
In the past year alone, Sunway Resort Hotel recorded approximately 15,000 room nights from Middle Eastern guests, accounting for around 15 per cent of its clientele, alongside substantial numbers from Singapore, Indonesia and local Malaysian travellers. Ramadan, in particular, represents a significant period, with over 12,500 diners recorded during the fasting month last year.
“ China contributes about 4-5 per cent to us, which is why we are really going to put more emphasis on this market in the upcoming years. This is definitely a market we are going to keep a close eye on, and increasing our numbers in the Chinese market is one of my key priorities for this year,” said van Zyl.
“ With Chinese New Year approaching and coinciding with Ramadan, planning becomes a little more careful and intentional, especially as it is overlapping this year.
“ What we wanted to do was ensure that we created a menu, ambience and a theme with storytelling. This year, the hotel’ s Chinese New Year and Ramadan campaign is intentionally designed around a fusion theme.”
Brendan van Zyl.
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Sunway Resort Hotel offers Jemput Makan Ramadan Iftar Buffet.
Sunway Resort Hotel presents festive buffet celebrations for Lunar New Year, Ramadan and Hari Raya
• Roots of Prosperity Buffet( 12 Jan – 22 Feb 2026): Traditional Chinese favourites, festive seafood and international delights.
• Jemput Makan Ramadan Iftar Buffet( 23 Feb – 19 Mar 2026): Heritage and festive dishes, with an early bird rate of RM188 nett( pay by 8 Feb).
• Hari Raya Brunch Buffet( 20 – 22 Mar 2026): A warm and generous festive spread for family gatherings.