The Chinese government’s recent decision to extend visa-free travel for Malaysian citizens until the end of 2025 is set to ease the process for outbound event planners looking to promote Chinese destinations for business events.
Originally implemented on December 1, 2023, the 15-day visa-free policy was supposed to conclude on November 30, 2024.
Adam Kamal, director of Suka Travel & Tours, shared how the extension provides Malaysian travel companies with ample time to strategise their business event promotions and initiate client pitches for 2025. He noted that prior to the introduction of the visa-free travel policy in December 2023, obtaining a visa for travel to China was a cumbersome process with no guarantee of approval.
Looking ahead, Suka Travel plans to spotlight emerging destinations like Hangzhou, Xi’an, Chengdu, and Guilin for incentive groups in the upcoming year.
Meanwhile, Mint Leong, managing director of Sunflower Holidays, revealed that after the Chinese government made the announcement in early May, some companies have already started exploring the possibility of taking their incentive groups to second- and third-tier Chinese cities in 2025, due to improvements in air connectivity, as well as the appeal of the destinations itself.
Leong elaborated that while the majority of her incentive clients this year preferred first tier cities due to direct flights, quality hotels, and meeting facilities, there is a growing interest from small- and mid-sized companies to explore alternative destinations for next year’s incentive travel programmes.
Faeez Fadhlillah, CEO and co-founder of Tripfez Travel, described China as a value-for-money destination, citing comparatively lower ground costs compared to hosting events in Korea.
He shared that this year, his company has facilitated travel arrangements for Malaysian manufacturing companies expanding their operations in China, organising factory visits to their counterparts in the country. This is because with visa-free travel, business trips are no longer limited to top management only, Faeez noted. A rise in similar requests is also expected to surface next year.
