Malaysia’s tourist arrivals up 20% from January to May
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Malaysia recorded just over 25 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, falling short of its 27.3 million target.
PHOTO: AFP
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KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia recorded 16.9 million international tourist arrivals from January to May 2025, a 20 per cent increase from the same period in 2024, the tourism ministry said.
About half of Malaysia’s total international tourist arrivals during the first five months of the year were from neighbouring Singapore with 8.34 million visitors, followed by Indonesia at 1.82 million, China at 1.81 million, and Thailand at 1.06 million, the tourism ministry said in a written parliamentary reply on July 21.
Arrivals from long-haul markets such as Australia and the United Kingdom also saw increases of 16.6 per cent and 8.7 per cent, respectively, compared with the same period in 2024, the ministry added.
“This increase in foreign visitor numbers clearly reflects the effectiveness of various initiatives implemented by the government through strategic approaches, progressive policies such as the visa liberalisation plan, and support and incentives given to industry players,” the ministry said.
Malaysia recorded just over 25 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, falling short of its 27.3 million target.
It is targeting 47 million international tourist arrivals in 2026, with a focus on key markets such as Central Asia, the Middle East, South-east Asia, Europe and Oceania, the tourism ministry said. REUTERS
