Ahmad Johanif Mohd Ali, Director, Tourism Malaysia, New Delhi office, shared how Malaysia is making group visits and wedding incentives seamless and attractive for Indian agents. He said, “When they arrive in Malaysia, we arrange with our immigration department to have special clearance for the group, provided the agent submits names and passport numbers at least three or four days in advance. This ensures a smooth entrance.” On programme enhancements, he added, “If they have a gala dinner in Malaysia, we normally sponsor cultural performances to uplift their programme or dinner. Other agencies, such as Penang State and MySAP, also offer incentives, including payback based on what the group has spent, with applicable terms and conditions.” Explaining investment calculations, he said, “Normally, we calculate cost per pax, usually around ₹2,000. For example, if we invest ₹500,000, dividing by ₹2,000 gives the minimum number of participants the agent must have. This is how we calculate our return on investment.” He also highlighted that wedding planners benefit from the same incentives, and hoteliers further support them with additional offers for bringing groups to Malaysia.
