Tourism Malaysia Expands Central Asia Push With Industry Programme In Ashgabat

ASHGABAT, July 21 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia is intensifying its outreach in Central Asia with its first tourism engagement programme in Turkmenistan’s capital to tap the country’s outbound travel market in support of the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign.

Organised with the support of the Malaysian Embassy in Turkmenistan and Turkmenistan’s Foreign Ministry, the programme brought together government officials, airline representatives, travel agencies and media representatives to explore ways to expand tourism exchanges and forge new industry partnerships.

In a statement, Tourism Malaysia said Malaysia continued to see encouraging interest from the Turkmen market, with tourist arrivals surging 42.5 per cent to 10,751 last year from 7,545 in 2024.

Malaysia welcomed 3,482 visitors from Turkmenistan in the first five months of this year.

“Turkmenistan continues to demonstrate strong long-term potential as a tourism market.

“Furthermore, direct air connectivity between Ashgabat and Kuala Lumpur remains a vital catalyst for tourism development, making travel more accessible and creating new opportunities for leisure, business and educational exchanges,” the statement said.

Tourism Malaysia Almaty Office director Nor Shazly Azmi said Turkmenistan was an emerging market with strong long-term potential, supported by direct air connectivity, close bilateral relations and growing interest in international travel.

“We are committed to working closely with our partners in Turkmenistan to build destination awareness, broaden industry partnerships, and encourage more travellers to choose Malaysia,” he said.

Tourism Malaysia said the country’s Muslim-friendly environment, extensive halal facilities, rich Islamic heritage and diverse tourism offerings were expected to help attract more Turkmen travellers under the VM2026 campaign.

The industry engagement programme follows Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent official visit to Turkmenistan, during which both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across several strategic sectors.

-- BERNAMA