Travel group TUI is setting up a new Malaysia based unit as it looks to capture a bigger slixe of the Southeast Asia travel market.
It secured a licence from the Malaysian government and will establish TUI International Holidays Malaysia.
The new division will tap the growing numbers of travellers in the ASEAN region taking short to medium haul holidays as well as long haul trips.
"We are developing holiday offers which are attractive to Asian travellers in both neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand, as well as the long-haul routes from Asia. The start of the new division in Kuala Lumpur is an important step towards addressing even more Asian customers in the future," said Frank Rosenberger, TUI’s chief development officer for new markets.
He said TUI’s hotel expansion in Asia continues.
The company plans to have about 25 hotel locations across Southeast Asia within a few years.
Still, the main focus in Asia will be on developing cruise operations.
All of TUI’s cruise lines make winter season calls in the region including Malaysia’s Langkawi as well as regional cruise hub Singapore.
