UNDER the tourism brand “Taiwan – Waves of Wonder”, the Tourism Administration of Taiwan’s Transportation and Communications Ministry (MOTC) has brought the island’s newest tourist train, the Shanlan Express, to Matta Fair Kuala Lumpur 2025.
The Shanlan Express, which is the highlight of the Taiwan Pavilion, is showcased in a life-like exhibition setting against a backdrop of golden rice fields and mountain ranges from eastern Taiwan, allowing visitors to experience the charm of a rail journey between the sea and the mountains.
Visitors can experience hands-on tea bag making with Alishan whole-leaf tea and sample nostalgic Taiwanese egg cakes, capturing the spirit of Taiwan’s culinary and cultural charm. With the call to “Visit Taiwan for a Cup of Tea,” the Taiwan Pavilion welcomes Malaysian visitors to savour authentic Taiwanese tea and explore the island’s diverse attractions.
Adding to the excitement, Taiwan’s national cheerleading team — winners of two gold medals at the 2024 World Cheerleading Championships — delivered live performances to cheering crowds.
Popular Muslim content creator SoyaBelacan (with nearly 390,000 followers) and travel influencer Just Travel (with more than 720,000 followers) will also appear at the Pavilion to share their personal travel stories from Taiwan. Their presence will help highlight Taiwan’s natural beauty, culinary culture, as well as friendly, inclusive tourism environment through the power of social media.
For the Malaysian market, the Tourism Administration has set “Deepening the Chinese community market and engaging Muslim travellers” as its core promotional strategy. The initiative combines rail, offshore islands, ecological and cultural tourism products, while actively expanding Muslim-friendly travel services.
According to the Mastercard-Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2025, Taiwan ranks fourth among non-OIC destinations worldwide, reflecting international recognition of Taiwan’s efforts in building a safe, diverse and welcoming travel environment.
In May 2025, Taiwan was once again named “Best Leisure Destination in Asia” by Global Traveller magazine (USA), and the UK’s cultural authority Time Out ranked Tainan fourth on its “Best Places to Visit in Asia 2025” list, reaffirming Taiwan’s enduring tourism appeal.
The Tourism Administration has also joined forces with city and county governments, tourism associations, travel agencies, hotels, theme parks, leisure farms and souvenir businesses — a total of 53 organisations and over 100 representatives — to form a tourism delegation to Malaysia for the Matta Fair Kuala Lumpur 2025, held from today to Sunday at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre.
In addition, the Taiwanese delegation will host the Taiwan Tourism Promotion Seminars next Monday in Kuala Lumpur and next Tuesday in Johor Bahru, aiming to expand cooperation opportunities between Malaysian and Taiwanese stakeholders and increase the number of Malaysian travellers to Taiwan. These sessions will welcome more than 100 local businesses and media representatives, focusing on Taiwan’s Muslim friendly initiatives, new attractions, themed itineraries and diverse incentive programmes. The events aim to deepen exchanges between Malaysia and Taiwan’s tourism industries while strengthening the market potential and sales of Taiwan’s tourism products in Malaysia.
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia representative Phoebe Yeh explained more:
What trends do you observe in recent years regarding travel to Taiwan by the Malaysian public?
In recent years, the travel market from Malaysia to Taiwan has shown a trend of steady growth and a strong recovery. With close bilateral exchanges between Taiwan and Malaysia, the number of visitors has rapidly recovered, indicating strong demand for tourism between the two sides.
As Taiwan continues to optimise its Muslim-friendly facilities, including halal food, prayer spaces and certified Muslim-friendly accommodations, Taiwan has performed outstandingly in global Muslim travel rankings, further attracting a large number of Malaysian Muslim tourists.
Furthermore, there is a growing demand among the younger generation in Malaysia for independent travel and themed tours to Taiwan, such as railway experiences, culinary feasts, shopping, flower viewing, cycling tours and family-friendly activities. At the same time, an increasing number of Malaysian companies are choosing Taiwan as a destination for incentive travel. With the gradual resumption of flights between Taiwan and Malaysia and various market promotion activities, the tourism market has gained more momentum. In 2024, the number of visitors from Malaysia to Taiwan reached 430,000, recovering to 80% of the pre-pandemic level, which shows strong potential for market recovery.
Taiwan has a wealth of diverse tourism resources and highlights, waiting to be explored in depth by Malaysian tourists. We believe that in the near future, tourism exchanges between the two sides will fully return to pre-pandemic levels and continue to set new records.
What do you consider to be the key factors driving or influencing this trend?
I believe there are several key factors driving and influencing the positive development of the Taiwan-Malaysia tourism market:
• Flight resumption and transport convenience
After the pandemic, flights between Taiwan and Malaysia have gradually resumed. There are now frequent flights and diverse options, and promotional fares offered by various airlines have significantly lowered the travel barrier. The direct services provided by low-cost airlines, in particular, not only offer flexible choices but also further boost the willingness of independent travellers to visit Taiwan.
• Continuous improvement of Muslim-friendly facilities
Taiwan has long been committed to creating a “Muslim-friendly tourism environment.” From the increasing supply of halal food and the growing number of halal-certified restaurants and accommodations to the widespread availability of prayer spaces and signage systems, Muslim travellers can feel at ease and comfortable traveling around Taiwan. It is worth mentioning that Taiwan’s ranking in the GMTI has been rising in recent years, which has further enhanced the trust and expectations of Malaysian travellers for visiting Taiwan.
• Diversity of tourism resources
Taiwan boasts rich natural landscapes, from majestic mountains and lakes to charming oceans, each offering a different scenery throughout the four seasons, providing a variety of travel options. At the same time, night market food, local snacks, diverse cultural experiences and various themed tours are important attractions for tourists. Taking the Taiwan Pavilion at this Matta Fair as an example, we have specially adopted “trains” as the design theme, echoing Taiwan’s popular railway tourism, to let everyone feel the unique charm of Taiwan’s travel.
• Marketing promotion and market cultivation
In recent years, the Taiwan Tourism Administration has continuously strengthened its marketing efforts in Malaysia through tourism promotion meetings, media features, social media management and collaborations with influencers and bloggers, effectively reaching more of the younger demographic.
I would like to specifically recommend an upcoming cultural highlight — the “National Palace Museum’s Asian Art Festival — Malaysia Month”. This is one of the important events for the National Palace Museum to celebrate its centennial anniversary. It is specially themed on Malaysia, with diverse exhibitions and performances planned to allow visitors to appreciate art while gaining a deeper understanding of the vibrant aspects of Asian culture. This also symbolises the close connection between Taiwan and Malaysia in cultural and tourism exchanges.
How do you foresee the development of the Malaysian tourism market to Taiwan in the next few years?
I remain optimistic about the future development of the Malaysian tourism market to Taiwan. With flights gradually resuming and stabilising, travel between Taiwan and Malaysia will become even more convenient, and the number of visitors is expected to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels. As an important source market for Taiwan in Southeast Asia, Malaysia’s importance will further increase in the future.
On the other hand, a Muslim-friendly tourism environment remains a key driver for market growth. Taiwan has already shown great results in halal food, prayer facilities and friendly accommodations. If we can continue to strengthen these efforts and design exclusive products tailored to the needs of Muslim travellers, it will help attract more Malaysian visitors, especially families and the younger generation.
At the same time, market demand is also showing diversification. The demand for independent travel, in-depth experiences and themed tours is continuously increasing. Future travellers will place more importance on personalised, customised and digitalised service experiences. From railway travel and food culture to eco-tourism, flower viewing, family trips and even corporate incentive travel, Taiwan can provide a wide range of options.
Furthermore, with the continuous expansion of Malaysia’s middle class and the increased spending power of the younger generation, Taiwan can effectively seize market momentum by continuing to use digital marketing, social media platforms and collaborations with influencers, in addition to partnering with local travel agencies and airlines to launch innovative products and promotional packages.
Overall, I believe that in the future, Taiwan has the opportunity to become the “preferred overseas cultural experience destination” for more Malaysian people, serving not only as a place for travel but also as an important bridge for exchanges and connections between the people of both places.
MOTC director of international affairs division of the Tourism Administration, Huang Yi-Chen, explained:
What are the main activities that Matta Fair 2025 Taiwan Pavilion is highlighting to attract the local public?
As soon as everyone walks into the Taiwan Pavilion, they will see the magnificent model of the “The Breeze” Shanlan Express sightseeing train behind me. It is one of the most popular sightseeing trains in Taiwan in recent years. It is not just a mode of transportation, but a comprehensive travel experience that combines local cuisine, attentive service, and unique aromas. We hope to take everyone on an imaginary journey of “travelling around the island by train” through the “The Breeze”, immersing them in the scenery and passion of Taiwan from the moment they enter the exhibition area.
The activities at the Taiwan Pavilion this time are also rich and diverse:
• Interactive exhibition and prize draws
During the Matta Fair, anyone who books or purchases Taiwan travel products on-site can go to the Taiwan Pavilion on the third floor to participate in a blind box draw, with a chance to win grand prizes and receive a fine gift. Even visitors just strolling through the fair can participate in the “Taiwan Stamp and Win” stamp collection activity, with a chance to win limited surprises at any time.
• Stage performances and interactive experiences
We have specially invited a world champion Taiwanese cheerleading team to give a dynamic performance, showcasing the confidence and passion of Taiwan’s young generation. In addition, there will be a series of interactive games and DIY experiences on-site, with excitement happening every day from the opening day to the last day.
• Live Taiwan food experience
Something not to be missed at the Taiwan Pavilion is the authentic Taiwanese snack prepared on-site — egg cakes. The fragrant egg cakes allow everyone to taste Taiwan’s most authentic local flavor while browsing the exhibition.
• Weekend exclusive surprises
On the two weekend days, we have invited Malaysian influencers to be on-site to share their fun travel stories and experiences in Taiwan, bringing more resonance and conversation from a young person’s perspective.
Through a comprehensive design that encompasses eating, playing, seeing and listening, we hope every person who walks into the Taiwan Pavilion can truly experience the unique charm of Taiwan. We believe this “small journey” will make everyone yearn for and fall deeply in love with this beautiful island!
With the continuous promotion of activities like Salam Taiwan, what specific progress has Taiwan made in creating a Muslim-friendly tourism environment?
The promotion of the Salam Taiwan campaign in recent years has indeed led to significant achievements for Taiwan in creating a Muslim-friendly tourism environment.
• Halal food and certification
The number of halal restaurants and accommodations in Taiwan has been increasing year by year. There are now hundreds of certified restaurants, hotels and guesthouses located all over the north, central and south regions, allowing Muslim travellers to dine and stay with peace of mind in Taiwan.
• Widespread availability of prayer facilities
Many airports, department stores, scenic spots and tourist attractions have set up prayer rooms and provide friendly facilities with clear
signage, allowing travellers to conveniently fulfill their daily religious needs during their journey
• Outstanding performance in international rankings
In the GMTI, Taiwan continues to be ranked among the top non-Islamic countries, which shows that the international community has affirmed Taiwan’s efforts in creating a friendly environment.
• Market promotion and brand enhancement
Through the Salam Taiwan brand, Taiwan holds promotion meetings, familiarisation tours and collaborating with local influencers to share their experiences in Taiwan, allowing more Muslim friends to learn about Taiwan’s tourism highlights.
• Diverse experiences and cultural integration
In addition to the tourism resources themselves, Taiwan also demonstrates the inclusiveness of its diverse culture through themed
activities, specially designed tours and local experiences, making Muslim travellers feel at home.
Overall, these efforts have not only enhanced the convenience and comfort for Muslim travellers in Taiwan but have also gradually established Taiwan’s image as an emerging Muslim-friendly travel destination in Asia.
What specific goals does the Matta Fair 2025 Taiwan Pavilion hope to achieve through this event?
• Increase market visibility
To use a large pavilion and themed activities to let more Malaysian people feel the charm of Taiwan tourism firsthand and generate widespread discussion in the media and on social media.
• Promote industry collaboration
In addition to participating in the Matta Fair, we have arranged B2B meetings and exchange platforms on Sept 8 and 9 in Kuala Lumpur
and Johor, respectively, to allow Taiwanese operators and Malaysian travel agencies and distributors to establish closer cooperative relationships and promote the sale of more Taiwan tourism products.
• Attract independent and family travellers
By using the “Yamato” sightseeing train model, cheerleading performances, stamp collection games and food experiences, we aim to create an immersive atmosphere to attract the younger demographic and families to participate, thereby converting them into actual travel intentions.
• Deepen brand image
With “diverse, friendly and hospitable” as the core message, we emphasise that Taiwan not only has natural scenery and a food culture but is also a travel destination suitable for Muslim travellers and all age groups.
Ultimately, we hope that through this Matta Fair, we can further increase the number of Malaysian visitors to Taiwan and solidify Taiwan’s position as one of the preferred travel destinations for Malaysian tourists.
