Recently, reporters learned from a press conference held by the Information Office of the Anhui Provincial People’s Government that the 16th Anhui International Cultural Tourism Festival will open on November 10, with Malaysia invited as the Guest Country of Honor for this edition.

Why was Malaysia selected as the Guest Country of Honor for the festival? An official from the Anhui Provincial Foreign Affairs Office explained that the decision is a comprehensive consideration to serve the overall development of China-Malaysia tourism cooperation, follow the upward trend of two-way tourist flows, align with Visit Malaysia Year, and deepen practical cultural and tourism cooperation between Anhui and Malaysia.

2026 marks Visit Malaysia Year. China and Malaysia are important source markets for each other, and two-way tourism has maintained sound growth. The visa exemption agreement between China and Malaysia officially took effect on July 17, 2025. Holders of ordinary passports of both countries are exempt from visas for entry, exit or transit in the other contracting state for purposes such as leisure travel, visiting relatives and friends, and business activities, provided their stay does not exceed 30 days per visit and a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period. This has further facilitated cross-border people-to-people exchanges. In February 2026, Hefei Xinqiao International Airport launched its first direct flight to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, greatly improving connectivity between the two places. Naming Malaysia the Guest Country of Honor for the festival will help further unlock the benefits brought by the visa-free policy and boost reciprocal tourist exchanges and market sharing.

In recent years, cultural and tourism exchanges between Anhui and Malaysia have grown increasingly robust. A cultural and tourism promotion event Happy Chinese New Year · Beautiful Anhui in Malaysia was held in Kuala Lumpur to showcase Anhui’s rich cultural and tourism resources. Huangshan Scenic Area signed a cooperation agreement on cultural-tourism development and heritage conservation with the Historic City of Malacca. A Huangshan tourism roadshow was also successfully staged in Kuala Lumpur. Going forward, Anhui and Malaysia will jointly deliver a full slate of Guest Country of Honor events. The initiative will make Anhui a key gateway for Malaysian visitors to learn about China and experience Chinese culture, while enabling more Anhui residents to travel to Malaysia and discover its charm.

Source: anhuinews.com