LABUAN: Jerry Teo, the national representative of the BIMP-EAGA Business Council, Tourism Cluster Director and Labuan tourism industry player, recently travelled to Russia to promote Labuan as a tourism destination. He also participated in Malaysia’s 2026/2027 Russian Tourism Sales Mission Roadshow alongside Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
Labuan, a Malaysian Federal Territory located off the coast of Sabah on the island of Borneo, is actively exploring the Russian tourism market to attract more Russian visitors.
Labuan received approximately 100 Russian tourists in 2025, down from 150 in 2024. Nevertheless, the island welcomed around 1.2 million visitors overall last year, highlighting its potential to further expand its presence in the international tourism market.
Labuan offers a range of attractions that may appeal to Russian tourists, including pristine beaches, rich marine biodiversity, local cuisine, quality hotels and distinctive cultural experiences, such as water villages and traditional handicraft.
As a duty-free island, Labuan also offers shopping opportunities for Russian visitors. Its international airport provides convenient access, further supporting efforts to develop the island’s international tourism market.
During their stay, visitors can explore Pulau Daat and other nearby islands, participate in traditional handicraft workshops, enjoy swimming and other marine activities, and admire natural attractions, including sunrise and sunset views.
Tour itineraries can also include sightseeing, duty-free shopping, marine activities, ATV rides and Labuan’s diverse local cuisine, allowing visitors to experience the island’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and leisure tourism offerings.
Speaking at the 2026 Russian Tourism Sales Mission Gala Dinner, Tiong said the event provided an important platform for Malaysian and Russian tourism industry players to exchange views and explore ways to strengthen tourism and business cooperation between the two countries.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the industry players, including those from Moscow, St Petersburg and Malaysia. They came to St Petersburg and participated in networking sessions from this morning until the afternoon. Therefore, I would like to thank everyone for their participation,” he said.
Tiong added that the gala dinner also provided an opportunity for industry representatives to network, exchange ideas and discuss ways to further strengthen tourism and business cooperation between Malaysia and Russia, particularly with St Petersburg.
Russia’s outbound tourism market recorded 31.5 million trips in 2025, while the figure reached 14.2 million in the first half of 2026, highlighting the country’s potential as a source market for international tourism.
Malaysia has also recorded a steady increase in Russian tourist arrivals in recent years, with 39,222 visitors in 2022, 129,514 in 2023, 130,998 in 2024 and 139,733 in 2025.
“Undoubtedly, Russia has become one of Malaysia’s growing tourism markets over the past few years. From January to August this year alone, Malaysia welcomed 98,466 Russian tourists, representing a 4.3% increase compared with the same period last year and 49% higher than the corresponding period in 2019,” he said.
Despite the positive growth, considerable opportunities remain to further expand the Russian market. Tiong noted that air connectivity was one of the key areas requiring further improvement to strengthen tourism cooperation between Malaysia and Russia.
Currently, there are no direct flights between Malaysia and Russia, meaning travellers from both countries must transit through other destinations.
The Malaysian Government will therefore continue engaging with Russian airlines to explore the possibility of establishing direct air services between the two countries.
“Malaysia is ready to play its part. Our airports, tourism industry and relevant stakeholders are examining market promotion support, ground services and other measures to help facilitate these flights,” he said.
The introduction of direct flights would make it more convenient for Russian tourists to visit Malaysia while also facilitating travel for Malaysians visiting Russia.
“Direct flights should make it easier for Russian tourists to come to Malaysia. At the same time, they would make travelling to Russia more convenient for Malaysians. I hope that, in the near future, there will be more travellers moving between our two countries.
“That is the direction in which tourism cooperation between the two countries should develop — in both directions, with benefits for both sides,” Tiong added. – Kong Jeng Li
Teo poses for a group photograph with Tiong and Mohd Amirul Rizal.
