Русский
The possibility of opening direct flights between Kazan and Malaysia was discussed at a meeting between the head of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. They discussed the issue at the Russia-ASEAN summit, which is being held in the capital of Tatarstan from June 17 to 19.
Ibrahim said that “The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has declared Kazan the cultural capital of the Islamic world this year. Thanks to direct connectivity, more tourists from Malaysia could see your beautiful republic.”
Minnikhanov in turn said that Tatarstan is actively participating in the development of Russian-Malaysian cooperation. The priority area for interaction is trade, economic and investment cooperation. He said that “Tatarstan, as an export-oriented republic with a powerful industrial potential, is ready to supply the widest range of products. We should work more actively on joint investment projects.”
Malaysia is a Muslim country and Tatarstan a majority Muslim Russian republic, meaning issues such as religious worship and dietary matters are similar in both regions.
Travellers from Malaysia made 11.9 million outbound visits in 2025, with a total international tourism expenditure of US$13.73 billion. Tatarstan is located in Eastern Europe and part of the Volga Federal District; and its capital and largest city is Kazan, an important cultural centre in Russia. It attracted about 4 million overseas visitors last year. A direct flight from Kazan to Kuala Lumpur would take about eight hours. Both countries are also planning visa-free access to each other’s countries, likely to come into effect later this year.
The Tourism Malaysia website is here and the Tatarstan tourism website here.
