Tourism New Zealand has launched a new partnership with experience provider, Klook, in Malaysia with the launch of the ‘Jalan-Jalan Muslim-friendly NZ’ campaign. The campaign will run from 6-22 September 2024 in conjunction with the MATTA Travel Fair and provides travellers the convenience of booking Muslim-friendly experiences for their holidays in New Zealand. The campaign marks a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to enhance the travel experience in New Zealand for Malaysian travellers, especially Muslim travellers.
Malaysia is an important visitor market for New Zealand and there are approximately 7.3 million people in Malaysia dreaming of a holiday to New Zealand. Arrivals from Malaysia to New Zealand are growing – for the year ending June 2024, visitor arrivals were slightly over 30,000, a 31.6% year on year increase. Tourism New Zealand’s research has shown that Malaysian visitors love New Zealand’s stunning landscapes, friendly locals and wildlife experiences as well as self-drive holidays. This partnership highlights Muslim-friendly experiences that are suited to the majority of travellers from Malaysia, for example, promoting tour options that showcase New Zealand and offer halal/Muslim-friendly meals.
“Our partnership with Klook marks a significant step forward in making New Zealand a preferred destination for Muslim travellers. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment, where Muslim visitors can enjoy our beautiful landscapes and unique experiences with ease. This collaboration is a testament to our dedication to understanding and meeting the needs of this important market,” said Gregg Wafelbakker, General Manager for Asia at Tourism New Zealand.
Klook is Asia’s leading platform for experiences and travel services with over half a million offerings from 30,000 service providers. They currently offer more than 500 New Zealand holiday experiences on their platform.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Tourism New Zealand in introducing more Muslim-friendly travel options to our offerings,” said Sarah Wan, General Manager Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia at Klook. “New Zealand is a destination rich in natural beauty and cultural experiences, and we’re excited to make it more accessible to Muslim travellers from Malaysia. This collaboration is a reflection of our shared commitment to providing seamless, enjoyable travel experiences that cater to the diverse needs of our customers.”
Mr Wafelbakker also shared, ‘We had the privilege of hosting Malaysian actress Mira Filzah and her family in New Zealand and are excited to showcase her photos from the trip in this campaign. From the North to the South Island, Mira and her family enjoyed a variety of experiences that highlighted New Zealand’s stunning landscapes, family-friendly experiences and thrilling adventure activities.”
New Zealand is a great year-round destination particularly in the off-peak seasons of spring, winter and autumn. These seasons offer fewer crowds and exceptional experiences like whale watching, stargazing and great outdoor experiences. These seasons between March – November align well with travel and holiday periods in Malaysia, such as Hari Raya in 2025 and school holidays in May, September, and October.
The ‘Jalan-Jalan Muslim-friendly NZ’ campaign will offer Malaysian Muslim travellers a wide variety of experiences that they can book with Klook, with the assurance that their travel needs are met.