March-April. 2026
Travel Agent 11
Boosting travel trust
MFAR recognition strengthens confidence among Chinese Muslim travellers
THE Chinese travel market remains one of the most significant and dynamic source markets globally, presenting vast opportunities for Malaysia as the country gears up towards Visit Malaysia 2026( VM2026). Within this landscape, inclusivity has become increasingly important, particularly in welcoming Muslim travellers from China, a segment that is steadily growing and seeking destinations that can meet both cultural and faith-based needs.
Travel agencies play a crucial role in bridging this market by translating Malaysia’ s multicultural identity into meaningful and well-curated travel experiences. Among the industry players actively driving this effort are Golden Point Leisure & MICE Holiday Sdn Bhd, a company with strong expertise in MICE, leisure travel and niche market development, and Anytime Holiday Sdn Bhd, a Langkawi-based travel agency specialising in destination-focused experiences.- RnR
GOLDEN POINT LEISURE & MICE HOLIDAY SDN BHD
ACCORDING to Jean Chai, Managing Director of Golden Point, the company has long focused on outbound and inbound promotions across China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Over the past two years, however, Golden Point has expanded its scope to include Muslimfriendly tourism as part of its China market strategy.
“ We design our packages specifically for Muslim travel, and we are very careful in doing so. We look for halal-certified restaurants and Muslimfriendly accommodation, such as hotels that have the Muslim-Friendly Tourism and Hospitality Assurance and Recognition( MFAR) certification. We promote mosques to our travel partners in China so visitors can experience our culture and learn about Malaysian Muslim culture, particularly Ramadan, including the bazaars and night markets.
“ We are focusing on education tours, which are very important. Currently, we are working together with Universiti Putra Malaysia( UPM) and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia( UTM) to promote Malaysian education, and the response has been very positive.
“ The second focus is medical tourism. Medical tourism is also very important because Malaysia’ s healthcare services
Golden Point participates in the sales mission.
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are very popular, and many hospitals here are Muslim-friendly. This makes it a key segment for us to promote.”
She said Malaysia’ s islands were particularly appealing to Chinese Muslim travellers, as island destinations were limited in some parts of China, making locations such as Langkawi and Redang Island e s p e c i a l l y attractive, with Redang Island often emerging as a top choice.
Jean Chai.
ANYTIME HOLIDAY SDN BHD
HISHAM Yem, Director of Anytime Holiday Sdn Bhd, said the company’ s core focus has long been China, resulting in a steady flow of visitors, including familiarisation trips. One of the company’ s key strengths is its preparedness in terms of human capital. It has Mandarin-speaking tour guides and has also trained several team members to communicate in Chinese, ensuring smoother engagement with travellers from China. This early preparation has positioned Anytime Holiday well in catering to the needs of Chinese Muslim travellers.
He noted that the introduction of MFAR has played an important role in building traveller confidence. For visitors from China, MFAR provides assurance and clarity, particularly in areas such as halal dining and Muslim-friendly services, helping to reduce uncertainty and concern when travelling.
“ We have been well prepared, and even before this year, we had already developed travel packages centred around major festive periods, particularly Chinese New Year and Ramadan. During these festive seasons, we usually see a high volume of tourist arrivals to Langkawi.
“ Experiencing Ramadan in Langkawi is quite similar to Kuala Lumpur. When guests arrive in the afternoon, they can visit Ramadan bazaars and see a wide variety of local kuih, including Malay and regional specialities, which many visitors enjoy. In the evening, we bring them to
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Anytime Holiday is experienced in hosting travellers from China. experience iftar. Sometimes this is arranged at hotels, and for Muslim travellers from China, we also bring them to break fast at mosques.
“ As far as I am aware, MFAR is not yet widely adopted across Langkawi, although there are hotels that comply with halal and Muslim-friendly requirements. Based on my experience, travellers from China may still feel uncertain or cautious about halal status when dining out. We have seen good responses from tourists, and we are confident that MFAR provides a strong foundation for building trust among our travellers.”
Hisham Yem.