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MONDAY | JULY 27, 2026

M’sia can be leading cruise homeport

o Being a regional base for such vessels will generate wider economic benefits than what transit calls bring, says Hwajing Travel

Punit said Malaysia was selected because of its high level of digital adoption, strong technology pene tration and mature SME ecosystem, making it an ideal market to demonstrate the value of the company’s AI-powered hyperlocal marketing platform. “It is the right market. This will be a very good launchpad for us, with the right kind of global brands and amazing people,” he added. The company helps businesses with multiple physical locations manage their digital presence across platforms such as Google Search, Google Maps, online directories and AI-powered search tools, allowing each outlet to maintain accurate business information, respond to customer reviews and improve its visibility in location-based searches. The expansion comes as busi more international cruise operators, expanding source markets and increasing cruise passenger arrivals that contribute to Malaysia’s tourism economy,” he added. This year, Hwajing Travel will bring the Adora Mediterranea to Malaysian waters, marking Adora Cruises’ first overseas homeport operation. Cheong said the deployment reflects growing confidence in Malaysia’s cruise potential and tourism infrastructure. “We are honoured that Malaysia has been selected for Adora Cruises’ first overseas homeport deployment. This demonstrates confidence in Malaysia’s market potential and tourism infrastructure. “Should the inaugural season achieve the desired commercial and operational outcomes, we are optimistic about discussing longer term cooperation with Adora Cruises. “This could include extending future homeport seasons, increasing sailing frequency or exploring opportunities for additional vessels. However, any future deployment will depend on passenger demand, operational performance and mutual strategic objectives.” On positioning Port Klang against established regional cruise hubs such as Singapore and Thailand, Cheong said Malaysia should focus on building a complementary propo sition rather than competing directly with existing hubs. He said Port Klang benefits from strong air connectivity through Kuala Lumpur International Airport, com petitive operating costs, established tourism infrastructure and con venient access to diverse regional destinations. Malaysia’s multicultural environ ment, heritage attractions, shopping experiences, natural landscapes and Muslim-friendly tourism ecosystem also provide a distinct advantage, he added. “Our strategy is to position Port

Ű BY JOHN GILBERT sunbiz@thesundaily.com

“At Hwajing Travel, we remain committed to working with all stakeholders to attract more inter national cruise deployments and help position Malaysia as one of Southeast Asia’s leading cruise homeports in the years ahead,” he told SunBiz . Cheong said the impact of cruise tourism extends beyond the terminal, as homeport passengers contribute to various segments of the tour industry’s value chain. “We expect positive spillover effects for tour operators, retail businesses, logistics providers and tourism-related SMEs throughout Selangor and neighbouring states. “By encouraging visitors to extend their stay and explore more destinations in Malaysia, cruise tourism can contribute meaningfully to local economic development and employment opportunities.” Cheong said bringing three con secutive international cruise charter programmes to Port Klang marks an important milestone for Hwajing Travel and reflects the company’s long-term commitment to develop Malaysia’s cruise industry. “Our ambition extends beyond operating individual charter pro grammes. We aim to help establish Malaysia as one of Southeast Asia’s preferred homeport destinations by working closely with international cruise lines, government agencies, port authorities and tourism partners. “Over the next three to five years, we hope to facilitate around 20 to 30 cruise deployments annually, subject to market demand and industry partnerships. “Our focus is on creating sustainable growth by attracting

KUALA LUMPUR: India-based artificial intelligence-powered hyperlocal marketing platform SingleInterface plans to esta blish an office in Malaysia and expand its workforce after officially launching operations in the country, betting on Malaysia’s digitally mature market as a springboard for its Southeast Asian growth. Having operated in Malaysia since 2024, SingleInterface currently employs two people locally and plans to increase its headcount to five or six employees within the next six to seven months as it expands operations. Southeast Asia director Punit Sharma ( pic ) said the company has KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has the potential to emerge as a leading cruise homeport in Southeast Asia as the regional cruise industry enters a more competitive phase, with Visit Malaysia 2026 providing a timely opportunity to strengthen the country’s position on the global tourism map. Unlike transit calls, homeport operations generate wider economic benefits as passengers typically arrive before departure or extend their stay after completing their voyages. This creates additional spending oppor tunities across hotels, airlines, restaurants, retail outlets, transport services and local attractions, while supporting the broader tourism ecosystem. Hwajing Travel and Tours managing director Kenny Cheong said cruise operations could become a significant contributor to Malaysia’s tourism growth by attracting higher value international travellers, en couraging longer stays and generating economic benefits across multiple sectors. However, he said that developing Malaysia into a regional cruise hub would require continued colla boration among the government, port authorities, tourism agencies and industry players. “This includes strengthening international destination marketing, upgrading cruise terminal facilities and passenger experience, improving connectivity between airports, ports and tourism attractions, as well as supporting the development of year round homeport operations.

Cheong says Malaysia has the right fundamentals to become a leading halal friendly cruise destination in the region.

She declined to disclose the company’s Malaysian revenue or growth targets but said demand has been encouraging since it began operating in the country. “So far, the market in Malaysia has been great. We have potential. What we’ve done here over the last two years has been very well received because no one is actually giving very clear analysis and details, such as click-to-direction, click-to-call and click-to-microsite or website. Besides that, our AI res-ponder, which is powered by AI, creates effi-ciency and helps build the brand’s reputation by en gaging directly with customers.” SingleInterface has appointed Arbell Parc and BlackGrid Digital as its official reseller Turn to page 14 offerings that deliver memorable guest experiences while supporting sus tainable long-term growth for Malaysia’s cruise industry,” Cheong said. He highlighted the growing potential of Muslim-friendly cruise offerings, noting that Malaysia’s reputation as a leading Muslim-friendly tourism desti nation provides a strong foundation for attracting this market segment. “We believe there is significant growth potential among Muslim travellers seeking cruise holidays that offer greater convenience and confidence through halal dining options, family-friendly facilities and culturally inclusive services. “Malaysia has all the right fundamentals to become a leading halal-friendly cruise destination in the region. “By working closely with cruise operators, tourism authorities and industry partners, we can further en hance Muslim-friendly cruise ex periences while showcasing Malaysia’s hospitality, cultural diversity and tourism strengths to international travellers,” Cheong said.

nesses increasingly adapt their marketing strategies to changing consumer behaviour, with shoppers relying on search engines, maps and AI-powered platforms before visiting physical stores. At the launch, Punit said con sumer journeys are becoming in creasingly digital-first, with cus tomers moving between online and offline channels before making purchasing decisions. Malaysia’s high digital adoption, he added, makes it well suited for busi nesses looking to improve customer acquisition through local search. Country director for Indonesia and Malaysia, Yenny Stutts revealed that SingleInterface has already secured HP Regional and Shell as major enterprise customers in Malaysia, while Sunway Medical Centre is expected to become a customer soon. These voyages also serve as an effective platform to introduce cruise holidays to a wider Malaysian market. “As the market continues to mature and passenger demand evolves, we see opportunities to explore longer itineraries and expand to additional regional destinations. “Future possibilities may include multicountry cruises across South east Asia or more immersive voyage experiences, subject to market demand, operational feasibility and collaboration with cruise operators and regional port authorities. “Our priority is to develop cruise Klang as an accessible and value driven homeport that appeals to both regional travellers and international fly-cruise passengers, while con tinuing to work with stakeholders to enhance the overall cruise ex perience,” Cheong said. Adora Mediterranea ’s current itineraries focus on short regional sailings, which Cheong said are well suited for first-time cruisers, families and holidaymakers seeking con venient short breaks.

Ű BY HAYATUN RAZAK sunbiz@thesundaily.com India’s SingleInterface to set up Malaysia office, targets regional growth

adopted an asset-light market entry strategy by working with reseller partners to serve cus tomers while gradually building its own presence on the ground. “It can be serviced, it can be managed. We don’t need onshore re sources. But in the next

six or seven months, we will have at least three to four more people here on SingleInterface’s payroll because, when it comes to customer service, there’s nothing like being in front of the customers,” he told reporters in an interview on Friday. Punit confirmed the company intends to establish a Malaysian office. The company has secured three major enterprise customers in Malaysia since early 2025.