Johor Bahru–Kunming Direct Flights To Give Tailwind To Visit Malaysia 2026

By Rohani Mohd Ibrahim

BEIJING, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Direct flights between Johor Bahru and Kunming will contribute positively to Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026), said Consul-General of Malaysia to Kunming, Muhamad Akmal Abdul Wahab. 

He said the increased connectivity with Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in southwest China, which will commence next weekend, will also strengthen Malaysia-China relations beyond people-to-people exchanges.

“The ever-increasing connectivity will not only promote tourism but also other sectors such as trade, investment and education, just to name a few,” Muhamad Akmal told Bernama when contacted. 

Last month, AirAsia Malaysia announced the launch of the Johor Bahru-Kunming sector, commencing Dec 14, 2025. The three flights weekly between Johor Bahru and Kunming will complement the airline’s 14 weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur to Kunming.

The new route not only offers Malaysians an opportunity to visit Yunnan, but also enables people in the province to explore various parts of Malaysia, the consul-general said.

Muhamad Akmal highlighted that the people-to-people movement has been one of the strengths in the more than half-century of bilateral ties between Malaysia and China. 

Bernama reported that the Malaysian Ambassador to China, Norman Muhamad, had said that direct flights between Malaysia and various Chinese provinces are expected to increase to accommodate rising travel demand.

He emphasised that the mutual visa exemption between Malaysia and China, which came into force on July 17, 2025, has strengthened people-to-people exchanges and serves as an important boost for VM2026. 

In 2024, Malaysia witnessed a 123 per cent increase in Chinese tourist arrivals compared to 2023, making China an important market for Malaysia in the tourism sector.

VM2026 has been themed “Malaysia Truly Asia” and “Surreal Experiences”. 

-- BERNAMA