AirAsia MOVE takes Malaysians off the beaten track with Tourism Malaysia

AirAsia MOVE and Tourism Malaysia have launched “Oh sem Malaysia!”, a campaign aimed at getting more people to travel across the country, with a spotlight on its secondary cities and hidden gems.

The campaign expands the public-private partnership between the two institutions, which offers curated travel experiences, destination-led promotions and exclusive deals under the Visit Malaysia 2026–2027 (VM 2026-2027) campaign. 

The partnership intends to encourage domestic travel among Malaysians, as well as inspiring travellers to venture beyond the usual hotspots. It will cover segments such as cultural heritage, gastronomy, hospitality and eco-tourism.

“Domestic tourism continues to play an important role in supporting local tourism businesses and communities,” said Manoharan Periasamy, chairman of Tourism Malaysia. 

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For AirAsia MOVE, the pitch is about turning inspiration into bookings. “As a homegrown brand and leading online travel agent in Southeast Asia, AirAsia MOVE has the digital reach, data insights, and intuitive app features to convert travel inspiration into seamless bookings,” said Chan Kok Ding, head of commercial at AirAsia MOVE.

He added that the platform will be used to highlight emerging destinations to Malaysians and those who call Malaysia home, while driving tourism growth from both domestic and regional markets.

Under the partnership, AirAsia MOVE users will enjoy travel savings across flights, hotels, SNAP! flight and hotel packages, airport rides and attractions during the campaign period. The two will also run co-branded campaigns and joint marketing initiatives to build interest in destinations around the country.

Tourism Malaysia said the partnership will add momentum to domestic visitor arrivals during VM2026–2027. It cited 151.6 million visitors in the first half of 2026, up 5.6% from 143.5 million in the same period in 2025. In 2025, tourism generated RM323 billion in gross value added of the tourism industry, contributing 15.9% to Malaysia’s GDP.

The partnership comes as Visit Malaysia 2026 is stretching into a second year. Budget 2027 extended the campaign into 2027, with RM935 million allocated for tourism, up from RM705 million in 2026. Brands have been involved in the campaign from the start. Last year, Tourism Malaysia partnered with Agoda on a digital push for VM2026. Since then, it has worked with F&B and consumer brands such as Bask Bear Coffee & Toasties and Pos Malaysia, as well as Starbucks Malaysia. 

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