Kaohsiung Syok! Kaohsiung Tourism Deepens Market Penetration in Malaysia, Launching Promotions in Kuala Lumpur and Penang to Capture New Southbound Business Opportunities

Kaohsiung City Government is actively expanding its New Southbound tourism market. Led by Tourism Bureau Director Kao Min-Lin, the 'Kaohsiung International Tourism Team,' comprising over 60 members including city officials and tourism industry representatives, recently conducted a six-day promotional tour in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, Malaysia. Through B2B matchmaking, B2C promotion, and meetings with key tourism organizations, the mission successfully deepened tourism cooperation between Kaohsiung and Malaysia, injecting new momentum into Kaohsiung's international tourism.

The campaign was themed 'Kaohsiung Syok!'—'Syok' being a Malaysian slang term meaning 'thrilling, satisfying, and highly enjoyable,' conveying Kaohsiung's aim to deliver unforgettable and instantly beloved travel experiences. The promotion highlighted Kaohsiung's mountain-sea-river-port landscapes, cuisine, concerts, religious culture, and Muslim-friendly tourism, while actively targeting family travel, incentive tours, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions), and independent travelers.

During the visit, the Kaohsiung tourism delegation met with Taiwan's Representative Office in Malaysia, AirAsia headquarters, the Malaysian Women Tour Guide Association, the Malaysian Chinese Travel Agents Association, and Penang Global Travel Institution. Discussions focused on flight expansion, tourism product collaboration, marketing campaigns, and city-to-city exchanges, receiving high praise from local authorities and the tourism industry and laying a solid foundation for future cooperation.

The trip also significantly boosted Kaohsiung's city brand visibility. Local media outlets such as Kwong Wah Yit Poh, Guang Ming Daily, and Sin Chew Daily, along with several well-known travel and food KOLs, successively promoted Kaohsiung tourism. Malaysia's Chinese-language radio station MELODY FM also featured Director Kao Min-Lin in a special interview, highlighting Kaohsiung's achievements in building its tourism brand through large-scale concerts, international IPs, food culture, and city marketing, further enhancing Kaohsiung's recognition in the Malaysian market.

Tourism operators accompanying the delegation reported that the promotional outcomes exceeded expectations, with many already initiating partnership discussions with Malaysian travel agencies. Representatives from hotels, travel agencies, business districts, and religious tourism sectors agreed that the visit effectively raised awareness of Kaohsiung in the Malaysian market and successfully established a cooperation platform, paving the way for increased independent and group travelers to visit Kaohsiung in the future.

Expanding Kaohsiung's International Visibility through Airlines, Tourism Partners, and KOLs

The Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau emphasized that Malaysia remains a crucial New Southbound tourism market for Taiwan. Moving forward, Kaohsiung will continue strengthening collaboration with local tourism operators, media, KOLs, and airlines, while further enhancing Muslim-friendly services, diverse tourism offerings, and MICE support infrastructure. The goal is to attract more Southeast Asian travelers to 'discover Taiwan through Kaohsiung' and continuously expand Kaohsiung's international tourism footprint.