TOURISM MALAYSIA WELCOMES GREATER BAY AIRLINES' INAUGURAL HK-KL SEASONAL FLIGHT 

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia today welcomed the arrival of Greater Bay Airlines’ inaugural chartered flight for its direct daily seasonal service from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur, marking a significant boost in air connectivity between the two destinations.

The inaugural flight, HB459, landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 (KLIA2) at 1.55 am and was received by Tourism Malaysia deputy director-general (Promotion II) Lee Thai Hung, along with representatives from the airline and Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim said the introduction of the seasonal service is anticipated to provide a meaningful boost to Malaysia’s tourism sector during the Lunar New Year period, traditionally one of the region’s peak travel seasons.

“By expanding direct air capacity from Hong Kong, the service is expected to increase visitor arrivals, stimulate tourism-related expenditure and benefit sectors such as hospitality, retail, food and beverage and transportation,” he said in a statement.

Tourism Malaysia, in the same statement, said the seasonal Kuala Lumpur service reflects the Greater Bay Airlines’ commitment to meeting peak travel demand, catering to leisure travellers, those visiting friends and relatives (VFR), as well as business passengers travelling between Hong Kong and Malaysia.

The direct daily seasonal flights also enhance connectivity between two key economic and tourism hubs, offering greater convenience and flexibility for travellers, and are expected to support increased inbound tourism and facilitate closer people-to-people connections.

According to the statement, Hong Kong, together with mainland China, consistently ranks among Malaysia’s leading source markets, with 4.7 million arrivals recorded from China between January and December 2025, representing a 25.1 per cent year-on-year increase.

Tourism Malaysia said it remains committed to working closely with international carriers to expand flight networks and strengthen Malaysia’s position as a preferred destination for regional and long-haul travellers.

The organisation also expressed hope for continued collaboration with Greater Bay Airlines on joint promotional initiatives to showcase Malaysia’s diverse attractions, rich gastronomy and renowned hospitality to travellers from Hong Kong.

-- BERNAMA